King of Symbiosis
by Wolfgang Yharnum
Summary: A King, no longer. Driven from the Land Downunder, Heathcliff King attempts to start anew in Japan. Coincidentally, he's going to Kuoh Academy where everything goes wrong. And that damn voice in his head won't shut up sometimes. That hot girl keeps embarrassing him, too. He just want's to live somewhat normally. Somewhat. (Rated M. OCxAkeno Harem. Lemons in future.)
1. Blessed Be The King

Chapter 1

Blessed Be The King

"Goddammit Heathcliff! Get your ass up!" a woman's voice shouted from outside the bedroom door of a young man. This young man- obviously named Heathcliff- rose from his bed with a sigh.

"I'm up, mum!" Heathcliff called in a rough, deep voice. He was a slightly tan, tall man with short brown hair slicked back across his head. He blinked his blue eyes a bit and yawned. He stretched his muscular torso and cracked his back.

"Good. Now hurry up. School starts in an hour!" Heathcliff's mother called as she walked away from his bedroom door.

"An hour? I couldn't sleep another half-hour? Ugh…" Heathcliff sighed as he opened his closet door and pulled a uniform out.

 _Did those idiot's even get my size right? Being six-six is annoying when someone else has to get your clothes._ Heathcliff thought as he bundled the uniform under his arm with a pair of boxers. He opened his door with a jerk and walked out into the hall, nude, excepting the boxers he had on. Heathcliff entered the Japanese bathroom and looked around it with a curious eyebrow raised.

 _How… how do I use this thing?_ Heathcliff thought with a sigh. He spent a few moments figuring the shower out before he finally washed himself and dressed himself.

 _Oh goddammit…_ Heathcliff thought as he slipped the uniform's coat on and discovered that his sleeves were too short. He sighed, again, and rolled the sleeves up over his forearms to his elbows. A large scar was present across the top of his right forearm that started near his wrist and arced up and around his arm.

"Great… now my machete scar is showing. Whatever…" Heathcliff sighed. He left the bathroom, tossing his worn boxers in a basket by his door and retrieved his black boots from inside of his room with a pair of socks. He descended the stairs and was handed a bowl of cereal by his mother.

"Here, Heath. I'll buy some groceries after I start my new design job here, alright?" his mother asked as she bustled around the kitchen. Heathcliff nodded and sat at the table. He put on and tied his boots as he ate.

"Mum, the school got my arm length wrong on the jacket." Heathcliff said as he finished his cereal and placed the dish in the sink. His mother stopped for a moment as she was cleaning up something and gave him a glare.

"Deal with it, you twit. You'll be fine. Plus, scars are handsome." His mother reassured as Heathcliff glanced at his scar.

"I'm never letting myself get jumped like that again. Rat bastards…" Heathcliff muttered. His mother slapped his arm.

"Sorry, mum." Heathcliff apologized. His mother smiled at him. She was pretty with the same hair and eyes as Heathcliff, but she was quite short.

"Now, off to school with you. I hear there's plenty of pretty girls there who'll love a foreigner with a particular accent like you." His mother teased as Heathcliff turned to leave.

"Mum… I don't think they'll care that I'm Australian." Heathcliff sighed. His mother shook her head and shooed him off. Heathcliff took the hint and headed for the door. He noticed his bag by the door and the extra-long strap on it. He grabbed it and slung it over his shoulder before walking out of the door with a click.

* * *

Heathcliff strolled up to the gates of his new school, Kuoh Academy. He stopped near the entrance when he noticed the large amount of girls entering the schoolyard.

 _Fuck… these girls are really spunk. And there's a lot of them!_ Heathcliff thought as he slowly entered the schoolyard. He noticed the stares he instantly received when he walked into everyone's view. He loosened his collar on his shirt, taking the stringy tie off and stuffing it in a pocket.

 _Quit looking at me… some of you are going to have a blue with me if you keep that up…_ Heathcliff thought as he walked. He eventually stopped as a small group of four girls approached him and blocked his path.

"Hi. I'm Mika, who are you?" Mika asked. She was a short, black haired girl with glasses. Heathcliff looked her over for a moment before answering.

"Heathcliff King." Heathcliff answered with a small wink. The girls made noises of awe.

"Wow! Where are you from?" Mika asked, giving Heathcliff a curious look. Her eyes were big.

"Australia." Heathcliff answered simply. The girls made noises again.

"That's awesome. Were there a lot of kangaroos around? Koalas?" Mika questioned. Heathcliff grinned.

"I had to wrestle my dog away from a kangaroo, once. Those bastards are mean. Something was really dodgy with that one though." Heathcliff said. The girls gasped in awe.

"No way! Did it attack you!?" one of the other girls exclaimed. Heathcliff shook his head.

"Nah, once I came running and wrestled old Dag away from the thing, it ran off. Hit a tree halfway to the river, too…" Heathcliff trailed off as he recalled his memories.

"My mum hated it when I went out in the desert. Kept me away from the idiot box though." Heathcliff added. The girls were awed again. They were going to ask more questions when the bell rang loudly from the academy.

"Oh! Nice to meet you, Heathcliff! I hope to see you around!" Mika said as she and her friends headed towards the school. Heathcliff waved to them before heading inside himself.

 _Ah, Christ. Where am I going?_

* * *

It took several minutes, but Heathcliff found his way to the room he was supposed to be in. It was near the top floor and the top of the doorway was nearly up to his forehead. He slid the door open and ducked in.

"Class, this is our transfer student from Australia. Introduce yourself, young man." An elderly man at the front of the classroom said upon Heathcliff's entrance. Heathcliff blinked for a moment before registering that he was now the center of attention.

"Oh… well. Hello there. I'm Heathcliff King, nice to meet you." Heathcliff said, turning to the class. They gave him a "Hello" back and watched him. He didn't quite like the watching part.

"Uh… sit back there… somewhere." The elderly man said, waving to the back of the classroom. Heathcliff nodded and strode to the back of the room. He collapsed in a chair in the very back with a small desk in front of him.

 _Damn… does everything need to be so small here? I saw a car smaller than my foot out on the highway._ Heathcliff thought as he set his bag down and leaned back in his chair.

"Australia, hmm?" a voice spoke to Heathcliff's right. He rolled his head to the side and blinked in amazement. To his right was a beautiful girl with extremely long, black hair, violet eyes, and a figure like none Heathcliff had ever seen.

"Did someone handcraft you? Nothing's that perfect without something making it so." Heathcliff said suddenly. He then realized what he said.

 _Oh, nice going there… didn't you learn what happened last time you flirted upon meeting a girl?_ Heathcliff asked himself as he pinched the bridge of his nose in regret. He had just spouted the first thing that came to mind when he saw the girl. Hell, he didn't even know her name.

He opened his eyes when he heard her giggling.

"Thank you. But no, I'm all natural." The girl said, smiling at Heathcliff.

 _Damn… I don't think I've ever seen a girl who looks like this one. She is really rocking._ Heathcliff thought as he turned a bit to face the girl.

"I… uh… sorry. I didn't quite think right there. You took me off guard." Heathcliff admitted with a sigh. The girl giggled and gave a disregarding wave.

"It's fine. I enjoyed it. I took it as a compliment." She told Heathcliff. He sighed in relief.

"That's what I was hoping you'd see it as. Last time I did that, woman thought I was too forward and slapped me. Not a fun night in Sydney." Heathcliff muttered with a sigh. The girl giggled at him again.

"You sound like you've had some adventures." She said with a smile. Heathcliff nodded.

"Yeah… some fights, some drunk nights… some… encounters with women. None of them encounters are good. I never knew what I did wrong…" Heathcliff trailed off in thought. The girl before him still smiled.

"Well, hopefully I can help that change. My name's Akeno Himejima, nice to meet you." Akeno introduced, holding out a hand to Heathcliff.

"Huh? Oh. Call me Heath." Heathcliff said, taking Akeno's hand for a moment.

 _Holy… her hands are really nice and soft. Never really got to touch a girl too much since they hated me so damn much._ Heathcliff thought, staring at the hand in his.

"Um, Heath?" Akeno wondered, noticing him zone out. Heathcliff blinked and quickly released her hand.

"Sorry. I uh… I never really got to hold a girl's hand. Sorry." Heathcliff admitted and apologized. He felt his face flush and scratched his chin, looking off to the side as he leaned on his knees. Akeno giggled at him.

"Aw, poor thing. Did you want to hold my hand again?" Akeno asked, making Heathcliff stare in shock at her.

"Huh? Wouldn't that give everyone the wrong idea, or something? And… you'd do that just cause I'm a Bogan?" Heathcliff wondered in astonishment. Akeno giggled a bit.

"I don't mind. I'm not sure what a bogan is, but you're nice. I don't care what everyone thinks, if I want to let my new friend hold my hand then I will." Akeno declared with a smile. Heathcliff blinked in astonishment.

 _Well… DAMN!_ Heathcliff thought. Akeno continued to smile at him.

"Well? Go ahead." Akeno said, holding her hand out again. Heathcliff stared at her hand.

"Serious?" Heathcliff wondered. Akeno nodded.

 _Well… no one ever said I was a wuss._ Heathcliff thought, tentatively taking Akeno's hand in his again.

 _So soft… some kind of lotion she's got on here._ Heathcliff thought, putting his other hand around hers and rubbing his thumbs on the back of her hand. Akeno just smiled, watching him inspect and feel her hand.

 _Smells like lavender or something…_ Heathcliff thought as he leaned a bit closer to Akeno. She giggled as he inhaled a bit.

 _[Might be. I think it's vanilla!]_

Heathcliff nearly jumped in his seat. That little jackass in his head hadn't spoken all morning, yet now he speaks.

 _Kiva, were you sleeping or something? Or were you just watching me all morning?_ Heathcliff asked, feeling Akeno's soft palm.

 _[Both! Wait… Yes. Kind of. Sorry, I was just curious as to how you would act if I vanished for a while. I'm still here, though.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff felt the small mass on the middle of his back squirm a bit.

 _Alright, just quit moving! I know you're there. Just let me talk to Akeno in peace._ Heathcliff said in thought. He heard Kiva hum in agreement and quiet down.

"Lavender?" Heathcliff asked, looking up into Akeno's purple eyes. She nodded with a smile.

"Yes. I use some lotion on dry days. I'm surprised you could smell it, I barely use much at all." Akeno explained, watching Heathcliff feel her hand.

"I can see why. Your skin is so smooth and soft that lotion wouldn't even do much. Flawless too… You're literally perfect." Heathcliff mumbled. He blinked again, realizing that he spoke without thinking again.

 _Dammit! Stop that, Heath! You're a fucking- Wait, is she smiling again?_ Heathcliff thought, noticing Akeno's warm smile.

"Thank you, Heath. I wasn't aware that I was perfect in your eyes. I really appreciate it." Akeno said, placing her other hand on Heathcliff's flushed cheek. He glanced to the side in embarrassment.

"No worries… You really are. Sorry if I'm being so forward. I'm just a bit… dumbfounded, I guess." Heathcliff said, releasing Akeno's hand.

"Aw, done already? I was enjoying that. You're so gentle." Akeno said as she moved her hand off of Heathcliff's face.

"Oh… whoops. Should I do that again?" Heathcliff wondered. Akeno smiled and held her hand out to Heathcliff again.

"If you want." Akeno said. Heathcliff eyed her for a moment before taking her hand. He glanced at her again as she smiled.

"Can I-" Heathcliff cut off when the bell rang, signaling the next class. Was about to begin. He noticed the people in the class shift around a bit, getting out books. Heathcliff let go of Akeno's hand and turned back to face the front.

"Uh, what class is next? I forget." Heathcliff said as he unbuckled his bag and sifted through it. Akeno was a bit startled for a moment before she began to do the same.

"History, I believe." Akeno answered. She eyed him for a moment before she turned to pay attention to the man who walked into the classroom.

 _[She's probably wondering what you were about to ask her.]_ Kiva said from inside Heathcliff's mind.

 _Probably. I wanted to do something… but even I can't remember what it was. Damn bell startled me._ Heathcliff thought with a sigh. He heard Kiva chuckle before fading into his mind. Damn symbiotic creature had enhanced all of his senses, making the bell a lot louder than it was.

 _[Remember, I get life and you get power. How cool is that!? Plus, I don't want you to be some evil monster like some of my kind did to other creatures. I'm probably the last, so, don't worry about it.]_ Kiva reassured. Heathcliff sighed.

 _I know._

 _[Oh, yeah. I keep repeating myself, don't I?]_

 _Yeah. Now can it. I have to learn, apparently._ Heathcliff thought, as if he shouted at the creature.

 _[Fine. I'll be quiet.]_ Kiva sighed from within. Heathcliff commended his partner's cooperation and began to listen to the teacher.

* * *

 _Fuck that guy. He's an asshole._ Heathcliff thought as the history teacher left the room and the bell rang.

 _[Why did he glare at you so much?]_ Kiva asked. Heathcliff sighed for a moment.

 _Hopefully that news article from Sydney didn't reach this country. I'd hate to run again…_ Heathcliff thought. He heard Kiva sigh as well.

 _[Christ… that wouldn't be good. If only I was able to speak on your behalf.]_ Kiva growled in Heathcliff's mind.

 _Wouldn't have mattered. The case fell through and I was acquitted after the statement was retracted, but the damage was already done. I couldn't stay in Sydney, or anywhere in Australia without being harassed. You remember, right?_ Heathcliff asked in thought.

 _[Yeah. After what happened with your dad, I'm sure you moving was the right choice.]_ Kiva added. Heathcliff sighed internally for once. He then jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?" Akeno's voice asked as she sat down in her chair a bit closer to Heathcliff.

"Yeah. Just a little tired." Heathcliff answered. He turned to face her and blinked in surprise. Akeno was leaning close to him and looking him over.

"Really? You looked really torn about something." Akeno pointed out. Heathcliff thought for a moment.

 _I don't know how well I can trust her. Especially after she knows the truth._ Heathcliff thought. He scratched his stubble.

"I was wondering about whether or not I picked up my schedule. Miscellaneous things find their way out of my mind if I don't think about them enough." Heathcliff said with a grin. Of course, that was a lie. He remembered the damn thing, he just needed an excuse.

"Oh. I see, I sometimes forget I even have one. I usually remember my classes anyway." Akeno said. She smiled and sat back in her seat, poised with a perfect posture. That was something Heathcliff neglected to notice.

"Huh. I never noticed that you sit like a queen on her throne, or something…" Heathcliff muttered out loud. He pinched the bridge of his nose again for his stupidity.

 _[Dude, you just can't keep your mouth shut, can you?]_ Kiva asked mockingly. Heathcliff growled internally.

"Why, thank you. I try." Akeno smiled at Heathcliff again.

"I really can't keep my thoughts to myself half the time." Heathcliff sighed. Akeno giggled.

"It's alright. I'm enjoying the compliments." Akeno told him. Heathcliff eyed her from under his hand as he palmed his face in self-inflicted agony. His loose lips bothered him.

"Oh… well, uh… want to hear more? I have myriad things to say about you. Good things." Heathcliff said with a blush. His Australian tan prevented his blush from showing, but he knew he was blushing. He could feel it.

"Sure. But wouldn't complimenting me all at once make you run out?" Akeno wondered with a playful grin.

"No. I'd come up with something." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno winked at him.

"Okay then…" Akeno trailed off. Heathcliff grinned and held his hand out.

"May I?" Heathcliff asked, gesturing to her long hair. Akeno nodded and Heathcliff picked up a lock of her hair from the chair.

"You hair… it reminds me of the shadowy nights where I watched the waves lap at the docks. Cool, dark… luscious… and sublime. A melding of the darkness with beauty that creates something far more amazing than any blazing star in the sky. Strands crafted from silk finer than anything produced on the Earth, colored to impress God himself." Heathcliff explained quietly as he ran his hand along the long lock of hair. He glanced up at Akeno and saw her smiling at him.

"That was beautiful. Thank you." Akeno said, placing a hand on Heathcliff's cheek again. He felt his face heat up as he glanced away from her eyes.

"I don't understand why you said you had problems with girls. You seem to be the most romantic man I've ever met." Akeno said as she ran her finger down Heathcliff's jawline. She placed her finger under his chin and he let her raise his head to face her.

"You'd be surprised." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno shook her head and released his chin.

The bell rang again.

"Damn. I was going onto your eyes next." Heathcliff muttered as he readied himself for the next class and released Akeno's hair. She slid her seat back over to her desk and glanced at him momentarily.

 _[Shit, man. I think she's into you.]_ Kiva said suddenly. Heathcliff nearly jumped again because he'd forgotten that Kiva was still there.

 _Bullshit. You can see that as well as a bloke wearing sunnies at night._ Heathcliff said in thought. Kiva laughed.

 _[Come on, man! I've been around you for years, this chick's into you!]_ Kiva exclaimed with a laugh. Heathcliff shook his head.

 _Nah. She's probably just acting like that out of pity. One of them sadistic girls._ Heathcliff thought as he prepared for the next class. The teacher walked in and set a heavy math book on the podium.

 _[I'm not shitting you, dude. Believe me.]_ Kiva assured. Heathcliff sat silently.

 _Bullshit…_

* * *

 _That's some fuckin' E=MC squared shit…_ Heathcliff thought as he stared at the halfhearted notes he took. They were scribbled on his notebook and were just barely legible.

 _[Don't come to me for help with that shit. I can't understand human alphabets and writings so, that stuff's lost to me.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff nodded solemnly.

 _I know. Hopefully someone else knows it better than I do._ Heathcliff glanced to his right and noticed Akeno flipping through her notes.

 _Holy shit. Her handwriting is beautiful! What the fuck happened to mine?_ Heathcliff thought, turning back to his own paper. He noticed a random dollar sign on it and erased it.

"Get something wrong?" Akeno's voice asked as she stood over Heathcliff's desk. He jumped a bit. He ignored his sixth sense on accident.

"No… I just, uh… had a random dollar sign on it. I must've doodled it when teach was talking about something. Try not to look at my handwriting if you don't want nightmares." Heathcliff said with a self-depreciating chuckle. Akeno giggled.

"It's not bad. Well…" Akeno teased as she read his handwriting. Heathcliff grunted in annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah. Yours is perfect and mine isn't." Heathcliff muttered. Akeno giggled, but suddenly stopped.

"Are you sure you understand this?" Akeno asked as she leaned down and kept reading his notes. Heathcliff kept his eyes away from her heavy breasts as they hung in front of him.

"Yeah," Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno glanced at him with a quirked eyebrow. "No." Heathcliff admitted, hanging his head in shame. Akeno sighed lightly and smiled at him.

"Well, our free period is up next. Did you want help understanding it?" Akeno asked, standing up straight. Heathcliff looked up at her hopefully.

"You'd do that? Are you prepared to be ultimately frustrated?" Heathcliff asked with a serious expression.

"I'm patient. Come on, try me." Akeno challenged with a wink. Heathcliff shrugged.

"Alright. If you think you can make my brain understand this, then be my guest…. Please." Heathcliff mumbled the last part. Akeno giggled and slid her desk over to Heathcliff's, sitting down next to him.

"I think I can. Now, listen closely…" Akeno trailed off as she opened her notebook up. Heathcliff sat up a bit and prepared himself for another fair go with math.

* * *

"See? It's easy." Akeno said as she pointed to Heathcliff's notebook. He sat there, dumbfounded with wide eyes. The classroom was empty.

 _I DON'T GET IT!_ He screamed in thought. Panic was rushing through his system as he tried to understand the problem.

"You don't get it, do you?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff shook his head and she giggled a bit.

"You poor, poor man… Alright, I'll go over it again." Akeno said with fake frustration and a playful smile. Heathcliff huffed in annoyance.

"Sure… it's easy for you…" Heathcliff muttered. He then jumped when Akeno pinched his cheek.

"Ouch! What was that for!?" Heathcliff whined. Akeno stuck her tongue out at him.

"For being lazy. Don't give up yet, Heath." Akeno assured, patting the area she pinched. Heathcliff felt his face flush again as he hunkered down in his chair a bit.

 _Dammit…_

Akeno wrote out another problem, similar to the last one, and pointed to it. She leaned closer to Heathcliff and her chest pressed against his arm as she started to explain the problem.

 _H-Holy hell her chest is soft… and squishy… don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look…_ Heathcliff thought. His eyes snapped to Akeno's chest.

 _Dammit._

"Heath? Are you paying attention?" Akeno's question broke Heathcliff from his stupor.

"Huh!? Oh, yeah!" Heathcliff exclaimed, staring into Akeno's eyes with panic present in his.

 _I hope she didn't notice…_

"Were you looking at my chest?"

 _FUCK!_

 _[LIE! QUICK!]_

"What!? No… I zoned out, sorry." Heathcliff answered Akeno with a nervous grin. His eyes flickering between the paper and her narrowing eyes.

"Nice try. Don't worry about it, I was kind of pushing them into you. I didn't really pay much attention to it. I'm the one who should apologize." Akeno admitted, leaning back in her chair.

"Huh!? Oh, no! It's fine!" Heathcliff said quickly, turning towards Akeno a bit.

 _Wait… ugh…_ Heathcliff pinched the bridge of his nose again as he realized his words. Akeno laughed a bit.

"I figured you didn't mind. Naughty boy…" Akeno teased, pinching Heathcliff's cheek lightly. He felt himself boil with embarrassment.

"Oh… I'm sorry… I… uh…" Heathcliff fell silent and looked at the ground. He was embarrassed beyond belief.

 _Please… God, kill me…_ Heathcliff thought as he felt his heart beating out of his chest. Akeno started giggling.

"It's alright, Heath," Akeno said. Heathcliff sunk into his seat a bit. "Heath…" Akeno called as she poked his forehead. Heathcliff looked up a bit and saw her smiling at him.

"It's fine. I don't care. It's only natural. Come on, I'm sorry I teased you." Akeno apologized, placing a hand on his cheek.

"You like teasing me, don't you?" Heathcliff asked, staring into her mischievous eyes. Akeno blushed a bit and giggled.

"Yeah… but I'm not trying to be mean." Akeno admitted, grinning at Heathcliff. He grinned back a bit.

"I know… I can handle it. My family used to tease me a lot back in Australia, more than most. I'm just not used to… this… technically." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno giggled and pinched his cheek again.

"OW! Would you stop that!?" Heathcliff exclaimed, lightly batting Akeno's hand away.

"Aw, you're so cute though!" Akeno said with a giggle. Heathcliff felt his fading blush explode again.

"Huh…? Thanks… I guess." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno smiled and patted his cheek.

"You are." Akeno assured. Heathcliff huffed and turned away in embarrassment.

 _Christ… she's really getting on me here… I've never had a girl act like this with me. Especially one so beautiful._ Heathcliff thought. He looked into Akeno's eyes and felt himself grinning a bit.

 _[ASK HER OUT YOU TWIT!]_ Kiva's voice shouted in Heathcliff's mind.

 _What? I can't do that. Can I…?_ Heathcliff thought as he stared at Akeno. He gulped as he sat up a bit. Akeno's hand was still on his face.

"Akeno… are you, uh, free this weekend?" Heathcliff asked, scratching his head and glancing to the side.

"Most likely. Did you want to go out?" Akeno wondered. Heathcliff blinked at her.

"Well, uh… I wasn't exactly going to put it that way since… uh, I'm not sure how you'd feel about that." Heathcliff explained, scratching his cheek awkwardly. Akeno giggled and patted his cheek.

"I'd love to go out with you. All these other boys here are a little bland, but you're interesting." Akeno said, poking Heathcliff's cheek.

"You also didn't cry when I teased you a lot." She added with a giggle as she pulled her hand away. Heathcliff blinked in astonishment.

 _Shit… she… actually accepted? I've got a date? WHAT!? FUCK! Now what?_ Heathcliff wondered internally.

"Uh… I've never gotten this far so, I haven't a clue as to what to do now." Heathcliff admitted with a sigh. Akeno giggled.

"Well, I think I should know when you're picking me up and which day we're going out. How long we'll be out, etcetera." Akeno explained. Heathcliff nodded at her words.

"Yep… good idea… I certainly didn't think of that… even thought that's the logical thing to do." Heathcliff muttered as he palmed his face. Akeno giggled at him and patted his head.

"It's alright. I get it. I've never been asked out before, so I was a little surprised." Akeno admitted with a bashful grin. Heathcliff stared at her in disbelief.

 _No way… she's so hot… how has no one asked her out before me?_ Heathcliff wondered. He massaged his temples a bit as the thought tumbled in his mind.

"How? That seems impossible." Heathcliff said, still baffled. Akeno shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Maybe I intimidated people? I know I teased a few boys until they cried when they tried to be smooth with me. I knew they weren't really trying to have a relationship. You know, douchebags." Akeno explained. Heathcliff nodded.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. So, um, how does Saturday sound?" Heathcliff asked, turning his thoughts back to the date.

"For our date? Sounds perfect." Akeno said, giving Heathcliff a warm smile. He felt his face flush again.

"Good. Eleven to like… uh… sometime in the evening? Sundown?" Heathcliff wondered. Akeno sat back and thought for a moment.

"That sounds nice. Meet me by the shrine, know where it is?" Akeno asked after a moment. Heathcliff nodded. He'd seen the shrine steps when he drove into town for the first time.

"Perfect. Saturday it is, then." Akeno said with a smile. Heathcliff grinned. He really felt like celebrating.

 _Fuck, yes. FUCK YEAH! HERE'S TO HEATHCLIFF, HE'S A TRUE BLUE, HEY! HE'S A PISS-POT THROUGH AND THROUGH!_ Heathcliff shouted in thought.

 _[I thought that was a drinking song?]_ Kiva asked.

 _I don't care! LET ME CELEBRATE!_ Heathcliff yelled internally. Kiva laughed and faded away. Akeno giggled.

"Excited?" Akeno wondered. Heathcliff nodded.

"Yeah, sorry. I just feel celebratory. Don't mind me." Heathcliff said with a huge grin. Akeno giggled at him.

"It's fine. I'm pretty excited myself, anyway." Akeno admitted. Heathcliff grinned and buzzed in his seat. He then thought about something.

 _Wait, should I… dress up or something?_

The bell rang.

 _Shit! Wait, which class is this?_ Heathcliff thought. Akeno noticed the bell and started to pack up her things.

"Heath, get your stuff together. Gym class is next." Akeno said with an encouraging wave of her hand. Heathcliff nodded and started to pack up.

"Okay, do I like, leave my bag here? My gym clothes are in it… I suppose I'll need them." Heathcliff muttered. He took the clothes out and noticed that his shorts weren't school issued. There was a note attached from his mother.

"School's size was wrong. They said these would work. Love, Mum." Heathcliff read from the note. He noticed Akeno looking down at him.

"Aw, how sweet. Come on, we're going to be late. Do you know where the boy's locker room is?" Akeno asked as she led Heathcliff out of the room.

"Not a damn clue."

"I figured." Akeno sighed playfully.

"Wow, thanks." Heathcliff deadpanned. She laughed, and Heathcliff reveled in it.

* * *

Heathcliff found himself walking behind a group of boys from his class as the gym teacher led them out onto the field. He towered over everyone, so he could see the volleyball net set up.

 _[Shit, man! If the girls are playing… then it'll just be a booby bounce-fest.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff chuckled.

 _Why do you even care? You're not even human._ Heathcliff pointed out. Kiva moved on his back. Heathcliff had to turn around when he was changing so no one noticed the black mass on his back. He now wore a white t-shirt that hugged his muscles and a pair of knee-length basketball shorts. He was thankful for the shorts since everyone else's were pretty short.

 _[Since I'm attached to you, I understand human emotion and sexual reproduction. I like boobs now, too.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff made a small noise of surprise. That was something that Kiva never told him before.

 _Huh. Learning something new every day. Now- HOLY SHIT!_ Heathcliff had stopped walking when the group fanned out to pick volleyball teams. He had noticed the girls joining them on the field and saw Akeno on her tight top and short-shorts.

"King! You're on this team!" the gym teacher called to Heathcliff, jabbing his thumb over to the right.

"Got it." Heathcliff said with a nod and joined a few boys on one of the courts.

"Nice, we got the transfer. Now the ball won't fly over our heads!" one of the boys exclaimed. The others cheered in agreement.

"Name's Heath by the way, if you hadn't noticed before." Heathcliff said to the boys. They paid him no heed as they talked amongst themselves. He shrugged and turned his attention to the team they were opposing. Akeno was on it and she was talking to a red haired girl who Heathcliff hadn't noticed before.

"Damn… who's the redhead?" Heathcliff wondered aloud. The boy who was joining his team turned to him.

"That's Rias Gremory. They say she's from Europe. She's one of Kuoh's Two Great Ladies along with Akeno Himejima." The boy explained to Heathcliff before joining the others on their team.

 _Two Great Ladies? Did… uh… did I just ask out one of the most popular girls at this Academy by just being a fuckwit?_ Heathcliff wondered. Kiva laughed inside his mind.

 _[Yep! Seems that way!]_ Kiva laughed. Heathcliff marveled at his own stupid stroke of luck.

 _Holy shit. Jesus is taking a lot of dumps today…_ Heathcliff thought. He chuckled at his own joke. He then noticed Akeno pointing at him, and the girl named Rias was giving him an odd look.

"Fuck… please don't approach me. I don't like being the center of attention." Heathcliff whispered under his breath as Rias eyed him. She eventually started to approach Heathcliff with Akeno trailing behind.

"Heathcliff King, correct?" Rias asked in a commanding tone. As soon as she spoke, everyone around them stopped speaking amongst each other and turned to watch the scene.

 _Fuck…_ "Yeah. You're Rias Gremory, right?" Heathcliff asked. Rias nodded. He did not like this one bit.

"I understand you're going out on a date with Akeno. I'd like to ask you something after class, if that's alright." Rias said loudly. Akeno gave Heathcliff an apologetic look and waved at him. Her sympathy did little to lessen the crushing embarrassment that was suffocating him. Everyone around him was shocked, and silence filled the air.

"S-Sure…" Heathcliff answered.

"WHAT!?"

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Little something I thought up. Hope you enjoy this first chapter. If there's any Australians out there that'd like to give me pointers on this character, please do so. I'm an American and I'm unfamiliar with Australian culture, so be gentle. Or call me a cunt. Whichever works.**

 **This story will be updated because I want to continue this one. Please note that updates for this will be a bit longer and will take longer to do.**

 **Thanks guys.**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis!**


	2. For He Is Noble

Chapter 2

For He Is Noble

 **H** eathcliff sighed as he stood near the back of his team's volleyball formation. He could feel eyes on him all around the field. He could feel the glares from the boys around him and the condescending, brief glances he got from the girls. Whenever he looked towards the opposing team, he glanced away as Rias stared at him with suspicion.

 _Akeno…_ He glanced towards the girl and caught her apologetic and sympathetic look.

 _Least she feels bad for my dumbass…_ Heathcliff thought with another sigh. He noticed the ball heading for him and smacked it across the court with little effort. It slammed into the ground inside of the opposing team's area and scored a point. No one cheered, they just stared at Heathcliff as they had been doing before.

 _If the gym teacher hadn't intervened and started the match, I think I might've died._ Heathcliff thought as he was tossed the ball to serve.

 _[Nah, I'd have Re-spawned you.]_ Kiva said as Heathcliff served the ball with a brutal overhand hit. It slammed into the ground on the other team's side, again. Heathcliff sighed as he caught the ball to serve again.

 _Well… least I could've escaped this embarrassment for a few moments._ Heathcliff thought with a silent chuckle. He served the ball with a lighter swing this time and someone managed to hit it. It came back to him, again.

 _Would you stay away from me!?_ Heathcliff thought with a sigh as he smacked the ball away. It landed inside the other team's area and he scored, again.

 _Winning doesn't feel like winning when everyone is against you._ Heathcliff sighed as he received the ball again. He served it lightly and it finally started getting passed between the two sides, leaving Heathcliff out of the fray for the moment.

 _[I hear ya! I can't believe you're getting this much hate just because you asked Akeno out. It's like watching a peasant marry a queen, it's just fucking wild.]_ Kiva said in Heathcliff's mind. Heathcliff nodded as he watched Akeno hit the ball. He admired her. Her long hair, her pale skin, the way her shorts and shirt clung to her tight body…

"Shit!" Heathcliff exclaimed as the ball came flying towards his head. He took a step back and hit it back with little effort, it slammed into the ground on the other team's area, again. Everyone glanced at him for a moment before someone threw the ball at him, forcefully. He caught it in one hand and quirked an eyebrow at Rias who threw the ball at him.

 _Fuck… do you think she's noticed my enhanced abilities? You know, the fucking super reflexes bonding with you gave me?_ Heathcliff wondered as he served the ball again. Rias was watching him in-between hitting the ball.

 _[Maybe. She seems pretty perceptive, but most people would assume you're so strong because of you size and such. I doubt she actually knows I exist. I try to blend in with your skin whenever possible.]_ Kiva explained as Heathcliff glanced between Rias watching him and the ball, which was heading for him, again.

"Dammit…" Heathcliff muttered as he hit the ball again. He put less power into his hit and it crested nicely over the net. Rias jumped up and immediately smacked it back towards him. He was nearly distracted by her wondrous red hair and bouncing chest when she did so. Heathcliff reacted instantly as the ball came within his reach and he knocked it back over the net. He scored, again.

 _Fuck, I think she's testing me… Wait, how in the hell did she hit that thing so hard? She's tiny. Well, to me she's tiny. To everyone else here she's huge. Especially that chest of hers… I think Akeno is bigger, though._ Heathcliff thought as someone tossed him the ball. He heard Kiva mutter something.

 _What?_

 _[I said she might be. And yes, Akeno definitely has bigger boobs.]_ Kiva confirmed as Heathcliff served the ball lightly. It started another back and forth mission as someone received it.

 _How do you know? I don't even know her cup size. Rias might be wearing a bra with more slack, or Akeno might be wearing a push-up one._ Heathcliff asked as he scratched his head. Kiva laughed.

 _[When you're a symbiotic creature like me, you start to recognize things that the human mind automatically ignores during daily activity. I have the time to focus on them, you have to focus on the game, mostly. I can tell, man, believe me.]_ Kiva explained as Heathcliff lightly knocked the ball back over the net.

 _Alright, I should've figured you'd say something like that. Also, SCORE! Akeno's got huge boobs!_ Heathcliff thought as a grin spread across his face. He eyed Akeno and she noticed him. She smiled sweetly at him and Heathcliff sighed happily.

 _She's so amazing…_ He thought as he unconsciously hit the ball again, scoring another point.

"Ha! You're good at this, King!" the gym teacher exclaimed as he walked by Heathcliff.

"Huh? Oh, thanks. I suppose it's because I'm so tall." Heathcliff said as he rubbed the back of his head. He had turned to face the extremely short man and felt something heading for his head. Heathcliff reached out and caught the ball with one hand, without looking at it.

 _Shit… I think I just gave it away…_ Heathcliff thought as he glanced at the ball and the shocked students. Rias, though, has a satisfied look on her face. Akeno was still smiling at him.

 _[Aw fuck. I told you not to use your sixth sense like that.]_ Kiva said with a sigh. Heathcliff growled internally.

 _Oh, I'm sorry. Isn't that what it's there for!?_ Heathcliff shouted in thought. He heard Kiva chuckle.

"Well! That's certainly something! How'd you do that, King!?" the gym teacher exclaimed, patting Heathcliff on the arm.

"I dunno, luck?" Heathcliff guessed with a fake grin. The gym teacher laughed and slapped him on the back, right where Kiva was.

 _[OUCH! THAT FUCKING CUNT!]_ Kiva shouted in anger. Heathcliff held back a chuckle as the man walked away.

"Alright class. Time's up! Head inside and get changed!" the gym teacher called as everyone started gathering together and leaving the field. Heathcliff tossed the ball to the teacher as Rias and Akeno approached him.

 _Fuck…_ Heathcliff thought as he turned to face the two. Rias stared at him curiously for a moment before speaking.

"You're not quite normal, are you?" Rias asked, crossing her arms under her bust. Heathcliff blinked at her.

 _[Lie.]_

 _The fuck you think I'm gonna do?_

"Uh, what?" Heathcliff muttered with a confused look. Rias smiled at him.

"Oh come now, I saw you catch that ball like it was right in front of you." Rias said as she started to circle Heathcliff. She looked him up and down.

"Like I told Teach, that was just some dumb luck. I'm pretty good at one handed catches, but I have no idea how I did that." Heathcliff said with a shrug. Rias giggled quietly and stopped in front of him again.

"Okay… Since Akeno here assures me that you're nothing but a sweetheart, I'd like to give you this." Rias said, handing Heathcliff a sheet of paper. It had an odd circle with designs on it and the back had some words that were too small to read.

 _Whoa, that looks like some DOOM shit right there._ Heathcliff thought as he looked at the paper.

"Uh, what is it?" Heathcliff asked as he tried to decipher the letters on the back. They looked like runes.

"It's an invitation to join our club, the Occult Research Club. We have our headquarters in the old school house right there." Rias said, pointing to a small, old building far across the grounds. Heathcliff squinted through the sunlight at the building and nodded slowly.

"Okay, how's this an invitation if I can only read the one line on the front?" Heathcliff thought, glancing at the text on the front above the circle design. It was in an odd font as well.

"You'll figure it out. See you in class, Heath." Rias said, waving to Heathcliff as she walked away. Akeno approached with a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry, Heath. I should've figured that Rias would make a scene out of it." Akeno said, bowing slightly to Heathcliff. He sighed and shook his head.

"It's alright, Akeno. It's not like every dude in school envies me and hates me." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno shook her head at him.

"I'm sure you can deal with it. A big, strong guy like you isn't intimidated by a pack of high school boys, are you?" Akeno asked teasingly. Heathcliff chuckled as they started to walk in together.

"Nah, I fought a huge American kid the one time in Sydney. I might've started it but he provoked me. I had like two inches on him in height and reach, but he was a martial artist. Whooped my ass real good. First few swings and he decked me after dodging all of my attempts." Heathcliff explained, as he stuck the paper in his pocket. Akeno gave him a shocked look.

"That sounds like it hurt. Were you okay?" Akeno asked, inching closer to Heathcliff. He chuckled.

"Hell no! My head hurt like a bitch the day after. Later he came by with some pain killers and cupcakes, real nice kid. Huge like a fucking building and built like he used a steel beam as a spoon, but nice." Heathcliff said with a chuckle. Akeno looked up at him in slight awe and gushed.

"Aw, how sweet!" Akeno gushed. Heathcliff felt his cheeks flush again as he rubbed his neck.

"Eh… Mum invited his family over for supper after that. He's got two sisters. Poor bastard… Anyway, still remember his face to this day, even if I was shitfaced when he decked me. Had a huge scar on the side of his face like my machete scar here." Heathcliff said, pointing to his forearm. Akeno looked at the scar curiously.

"How did you get that?" Akeno asked as Heathcliff rubbed his scar.

"Machete fight. Dude pulled a blade and gave me a nice gash. I was actually hanging out with that American kid when it happened and he decked that fellow, too. Broke his ribs with a kick, then dropped him with a jaw-busting hook." Heathcliff explained, looking over the scar as they stopped at the boy's locker room.

"Wow. This guy sounds really strong." Akeno noted as she also looked at Heathcliff's scar. She was holding his hand and investigating it closely. Heathcliff blushed as she did so and nodded.

"Yeah. He benched three hundred and seventy-five last time I talked to him. Squatted even more. Curled one of them cartoon weights, y'know?" Heathcliff asked with a chuckle. Akeno giggled at him and let go of him.

"See you later, Heath." Akeno said with a wink as she headed off. Heathcliff waved a bit and walked into the locker room. He was greeted by the glares of every guy in there.

 _What the…? Okay, fuck these idiots, why do they even care at this point?_ Heathcliff thought as he strode between them to his locker and started changing. He pulled his shirt off and cracked his shoulder. Kiva hid his mass and blended in with Heathcliff's back.

"Damn Aussie and his muscles…" someone near Heathcliff mumbled. He turned and looked down at the small, small boy that spoke.

"Got a problem with me?" Heathcliff asked, finally annoyed with them. The boy turned and looked up nervously.

"No… we're all just jealous. Every last dude in this school has tried to ask one of those girls out and you just waltz on in and do it like it was as easy as sleeping. How did you do it, man!?" the boy exclaimed, fearful of Heathcliff yet also hopeful for an answer. The rest of the boys shared the same look. Heathcliff sighed and leaned on his locker.

"I'll be honest, I don't know. I was just as bad with the ladies back in Australia as any guy here is. Maybe it's cause I'm an Australian? Maybe it's cause I told her how I felt about how beautiful she was? Maybe it's just cause we got along right away, y'know, one of them real special encounters? Who knows, man?" Heathcliff explained with a sigh.

All of the boys looked slightly annoyed and depressed after Heathcliff spoke. They were silent and their hope seemed crushed. Heathcliff sighed, again.

"Look, guys… There's hundreds of pretty women in this school. Of course you all want the best but, maybe… just maybe, the best is waiting for you and you're lookin' the wrong way. She's out there, waiting for her knight in shining armor. You ought to be that knight, I know it. I knew I was, for someone. Who that might've been, I had no idea, till now." Heathcliff stated with an encouraging grin.

The boys looked up at him again, their hope seemingly restored as they grew smiles.

"C'mon then, let's get a move on. Can't leave the girls waiting, can we?" Heathcliff asked. Everyone cheered and continued with what they were doing.

 _[Heath, you fucking hero! I never knew you were so encouraging.]_ Kiva said as Heathcliff put his uniform back on and transferred the paper Rias gave him into his pocket.

 _Eh, I just told them what I used to like to hear. Y'know, let 'em dream a little._ Heathcliff responded as he left the locker room and headed back to his classroom.

 _[I know. I just figured that you were the delusional one. Seems most male humans are delusional.]_ Kiva said with a chuckle.

 _That we are. Dreams are something we hold onto, Kiva. They give us hope and courage. Make us see a bright future. It might seem delusional to an alien creature, but it's what gives us humans something to look forward to. We're not immortal, Kiva, so we have to do something with what we've got._ Heathcliff explained in thought. He heard Kiva hum a bit.

 _[Never thought of it that way. Seems I have much to learn as well.]_ Kiva said thoughtfully. Heathcliff chuckled to himself.

 _That makes two of us…_

* * *

Heathcliff sighed in relief as his classes finally ended for the day. He had some art class that he didn't even know about somewhere in there, as well as something about physics. He didn't really have a chance to talk to Akeno since she became occupied in-between classes by Rias. He didn't even notice that the redhead sat in front of Akeno.

 _Am I just not paying attention to my other senses? She has bright red hair. Fucking RED! Redder than blood. Are you seeing this, Kiva?_ Heathcliff wondered as he glanced at Rias. The redhead would acknowledge him every so often with a slight wink that made him slightly uncomfortable.

Just slightly.

 _[Well, I technically can't see anything myself. I just interpret your sensory information if I have to. But, yes, I do see it.]_ Kiva answered after a moment. Heathcliff sighed internally and rolled his eyes.

 _I know, that's how you read my mind. I'd appreciate it if you didn't interpret my sensory information sometimes, since you seem to do so all the time._ Heathcliff responded as he packed his things up for the day. He could still feel glances shot his way every so often.

 _[Oh, whoops. I've gotten so used to seeing Earth through you that I forgot that I'm still a separate entity entirely. I can't have that, if I get too used to accessing your sensory information then the shock of losing it at some point might affect me permanently.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff nodded to himself as he closed his bag. He felt something heading for him, small and delicate at a slow speed.

Heathcliff looked to his right to see Akeno's finger nearly poking his cheek.

"Uh…?" Heathcliff made a confused noise, quirking an eyebrow at Akeno. She giggled and retracted her hand.

"You looked like you were spacing out for a moment there." Akeno commented with a smile. Heathcliff nodded.

"Kind of, internal conversations and all that…" Heathcliff responded as he hung his bag on his shoulder.

"Going insane, huh?" Akeno asked with a giggle. Heathcliff chuckled.

"I went bonkers awhile ago, it's just reoccurring." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno giggled at him.

"Seems that way. Anyway, Rias and I hang out at the clubhouse afterschool every day, did you want to come along?" Akeno asked, gesturing to Rias. The redhead winked at Heathcliff again and he felt like shuddering.

 _Something about her is making my sixth sense go insane… Akeno is the same way, I just think it's cause I like her. But with the way Rias keeps eyeing me, something is off._ Heathcliff thought as he rested his vision on Akeno's eyes. She continued to smile at him.

 _[Tell me about it, I have the same feeling.]_ Kiva said and Heathcliff sighed a bit.

 _Well, I ought to go home if I don't have anything to do. Mum got a bit stricter after Pop kicked the bucket…_ Heathcliff thought as he stared into Akeno's eyes. Her beautiful, dark violet eyes.

"Eh… sorry. Mum probably wants me home before late. She's a bit stricter nowadays. Sorry." Heathcliff said with a frown. Akeno shrugged.

"That's alright. I understand. She must like to protect her cute little boy, huh?" Akeno asked teasingly. Heathcliff blushed a bit and rubbed his neck.

"Yah… well, Pop's not around so… she's been strict, for good reason." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno perked up a bit and rose a curious eyebrow.

"Pop? You mean your father?" Akeno asked curiously. Heathcliff blinked and shook his head.

 _Nah… I don't think I ought to be bawling my eyes out before the first date. I also barely know her… she is nice, though._ Heathcliff thought as the bell rang, dismissing the school.

"Story for another time, see you tomorrow, Akeno." Heathcliff said, standing abruptly and heading for the door. Akeno seemed to choke on a word but let him leave.

 _[That was kind of rude, don't you think? I mean, justified, but…]_ Kiva trailed off. Heathcliff sighed as he ducked under the doorway and headed for the staircase. Mostly everyone gave him a good berth.

 _I'm not real comfortable talking about Pop. Especially to girls. Anyone, really. Except you, of course. You were there. He was kind of our dad, in a sense._ Heathcliff responded. He heard a hum from Kiva.

 _[Yeah, I suppose. I respected the man, even though I'm an alien life form who knew nothing about humans. He seemed so wise and foresighted.]_ Kiva said with a melancholy tone. Heathcliff grinned sadly as he reminisced.

 _Yep. Good old James "The Professor" King. A legend in the law field of Australia. Won just about every case on his plate. I was never really good at law, lucky that Pop didn't make me pursue it._ Heathcliff thought with a grin. He ducked under the entrance door to the school and strode across the courtyard.

 _[The Professor… is that because he spent a lot of time explaining the ins and outs of the law during court sessions? He just kept educating people…]_ Kiva trailed off thoughtfully. Heathcliff ignored Kiva as he exited the school grounds. Something was amiss, someone was watching him. Eyeing him. He felt them move and approach.

 _Whoa…_ Heathcliff thought a he glanced to his left and noticed a short, young girl approach him. She wore some outfit from another school altogether, setting her apart from the crowd of Kuoh kids.

 _[Damn… she's pretty good looking. Big boobs, too. Not as big as Akeno, though.]_ Kiva commented. Heathcliff nodded as the girl shyly approached him.

 _This isn't right at all. She feels off, like Rias does but… different. And the way she's approaching me seems… practiced? Is that the right word?_ Heathcliff thought as he curiously stared down at the girl.

"Uh, can I help you?" Heathcliff asked as the students around him noticed the slight scene unfold. Heathcliff groaned silently.

 _Fuck, leave me alone, you cunts…_ Heathcliff thought with a light growl. The girl in front of him looked up at him with a blush. She had big, dark eyes.

"Um… you're Heathcliff King… right?" the girl asked sheepishly. Heathcliff narrowed his eyes slightly.

 _Where the fuck did she learn my name?_ Heathcliff wondered angrily. The girl smiled slightly.

"Oh good… my name's Yumma. I wanted to ask you something." Yumma said, smiling cutely at Heathcliff. He was still wary since his six sense kept going haywire with this girl.

"Alright." Heathcliff said with a wary air about him. Yumma moved some of her hair with her hand and gulped.

"Well… once I heard of you I just had to rush over here and ask you… Would you, um… go out with me?" Yumma asked nervously with an unusual bow. Heathcliff rose a brow.

 _Huh. That's a first. Usually it's the guy chasing the girls, not the other way around. But this seems way too… convenient? What do you think, Kiva?_ Heathcliff wondered as he stood awkwardly amongst a group of students who were now whispering things about him. He was too focused on Yumma to pay them any heed, though.

 _[I agree. This is extremely fishy. She doesn't feel right at all. It's almost too perfectly pulled off. Also, you already have a date, remember?]_ Kiva asked. Heathcliff made a hum of approval.

 _Right._ "Uh, sorry, Yumma. You seem nice, but uh, I've already got a date. I'm sorry." Heathcliff responded. Yumma looked up at him, shocked.

 _Should she be shocked like that? That doesn't seem like an appropriate reaction to someone you just met and know absolutely nothing about._ Heathcliff thought as he gave her a sheepish grin. She didn't say anything but frowned and started walking away. Immediately after Heathcliff started away, many boys from Kuoh chased after the girl.

 _[No. Something's up. Be on guard, Heath. This is a mysterious land, anything can happen.]_ Kiva warned. Heathcliff nodded to himself and got very serious.

 _Yeah… I will._

* * *

Heathcliff collapsed on his bed at home, finding extreme comfort in the dark sheets. His mother wasn't home at all, so he was alone.

 _She must be working late. Being new at a job here must suck._ Heathcliff thought as he relaxed. He nearly let the sandman take him when his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled the touchscreen device out and answered the call, it was his mother.

 _"Hi honey! How was school!?"_ Heathcliff's mother nearly yelled over the phone. Heathcliff had to hold the device away from his head for a moment before bringing it back.

"Good. You were right, again." Heathcliff responded with a grin.

 _"Oh? I can almost feel your shit-eating grin over the phone, what happened!?"_ His mother asked excitedly. Heathcliff grinned a bit wider.

"I… uh, I got a date on Saturday."

Silence.

"Mum?"

 _"OH MY GOD! YES! Congratulations sweetheart! Mommy's proud of you! I just knew the girls would be all over you once you walked in there!"_ Heathcliff's mother yelled. Heathcliff held the phone away for a moment, again.

"Well… I asked her out, but she did initiate the conversation." Heathcliff said, scratching his cheek. He heard his mother giggle over the phone.

 _"Oh please tell me she's hot."_ His mother said with a laugh.

"Hell yeah, she's hot." Heathcliff answered. His mother laughed.

 _"Perfect! I'm so proud of you, ya twit! Tell me all about her when I get home, alright!?"_ His mother asked excitedly.

"Of course. I'll have a whole five page report ready." Heathcliff responded, his mother laughed again.

 _"I know you can do it, too! Alright, I'll see you soon. Or maybe in the morning if you fall asleep. By, sweetie!"_ She hung up quickly after her response. Heathcliff grinned and stuck his phone on the cabinet behind him.

 _[She was quite… enthusiastic. I forgot your mother was super over-the-top.]_ Kiva said suddenly. Heathcliff sighed and relaxed on his bed.

 _Yeah, she's always been extremely obsessive and intense. But that's Mum for ya._ Heathcliff responded. He heard Kiva laugh before the Synergetic's voice faded. Heathcliff slowly started to fall asleep. He had taken his time getting home and arrived as the sun fell below the horizon, so dusk was already upon him. This employed a perfect time to nap.

 _Movement._

Heathcliff jumped out of his bed and hit the ceiling of his room. He stuck to it with one hand on the ceiling and his boots slightly connected in a sort-of upside down crouch. He looked around his room and reached down, hitting the light switch to turn the lights off. His room became dark, excepting the moonlight that rose outside.

 _There._ Heathcliff thought as he spotted something moving through the curtains of his window. He had a view of the backyard from his balcony and could see the shadows moving outside. It was not a tree, trees and plants had a muted presence. This presence was not muted, it was explosive.

Human.

Heathcliff reached out inside of himself and pulled on his connection to Kiva to alert the Synergetic.

 _[Movement? It's a human alright.]_ Kiva said, alerted to the situation. Heathcliff nodded as he watched the shadows. They moved again and Heathcliff readied himself for anything.

 _Doesn't it feel… off to you? Like Rias and that girl from earlier?_ Heathcliff wondered as he crawled closer to the windows. He kept to the shadows to remain hidden.

 _[Yes. Check how the presence feels. See if it's male or female.]_ Kiva advised. Heathcliff nodded as he hid near the corner of his room and stuck to the walls, upright by putting his boots on the walls.

 _I remember, check to see if it's violent or calm. Violent presences are male, calm are female. Works for anything that isn't a plant, since plants are muted and don't move very much._ Heathcliff thought as he felt the presence with his sixth sense. It was female.

 _A woman? It's not my mother. I know that. I can sense their ill intent. It's just there._ Heathcliff thought as he watched the shadows. He saw the shadows move quickly and vanish as headlights came into view by the gates.

 _Mum!_ Heathcliff thought as he slid the window door open and flipped out onto the balcony.

 _[Combat Morph?]_ Kiva asked.

 _No, not until the presence comes back._ Heathcliff responded as he leaped from the balcony and landed on the gate to his yard. His mother was exiting her car and yelped when he appeared without a sound.

"Mum, get inside. Someone's been snooping around by the backyard. I'll leave Kiva on the lookout tonight." Heathcliff said to his mother as he crouched on the gate. His mother nodded and hurried inside, locking her car. Heathcliff watched the shadows, trying to find the presence. Once his mother was inside, he jumped onto the side of the house and crawled on his hands and feet across the wall and onto his balcony.

Heathcliff sighed angrily as he closed and locked his balcony doors. He leaped downstairs and caught the bottom of the staircase ceiling, flipping him onto the ceiling of the entrance area. His mother was just unloading her bag and some groceries when he appeared on the ceiling, standing upside down.

"Heath, are you really so concerned? I thought this was a good neighborhood?" his mother wondered as she walked over to him. She was about eyelevel with him now as he hung from the ceiling.

"It is. But that doesn't explain the ill intent of that woman out there. Whoever she was, she was watching and appeared just after we ended our call." Heathcliff explained as he walked across the ceiling and flipped onto the wall, checking the windows and locking them. His mother locked the door and followed him.

"A woman? That's odd. Do you think…?" Heathcliff's mother trailed off. He glanced back at her and saw her downcast, staring at the floor.

"No. I don't. At least, I doubt that very much. I'm just being paranoid. It could've been anything about anyone. They vanished when you pulled in, though. Way too quickly, too. It was odd." Heathcliff explained as he climbed around the house. He dropped to the floor once he was done and walked over to his mother.

 _[I've got no problem keeping alert all night. You guys relax.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff sighed tiredly.

"Anyway, like I said, Kiva will be alert all night. Don't worry about it. If they come back, he'll alert me. Okay?" Heathcliff said, putting an arm around his mother who was growing concerned.

"I've still never met Kiva. It'd be nice to see who my son's best friend is." His mother said with a small smile. Heathcliff chuckled.

 _[That'd be cool!]_

"Well, the only way for him to communicate is to send thought patterns through my head. He says he would like to do that as well." Heathcliff said with a smile. His mother giggled and started to relax.

"Well, I'm tired. I think we ought to go to bed." Heathcliff's mother suggested. Heathcliff nodded and yawned.

"Yah, good night mum…" Heathcliff muttered as he headed upstairs.

"Goodnight, hon. Keep an eye out, Kiva!" His mother called.

"He says he will!" Heathcliff called as he headed back into his room, closing the door with a soft bang. He collapsed on his bed and relaxed.

 _Son of a bitch… I'd hate to have to use my Combat Morph so soon. I only just started school._ Heathcliff thought. He sat up and started taking his boots off.

 _[Yeah, but like I said, anything can happen here Heath. We've got to be on the lookout.]_ Kiva stated. Heathcliff sighed as he kicked his boots off and started removing his uniform.

 _I'll remember to watch the shadows._ Heathcliff responded. He took his uniform off and got ready for bed.

 _Watch the shadows…_ He slowly fell asleep, letting himself drift into dreamland.

* * *

One day was a long time, though Heathcliff already found himself at the end of his second day at Kuoh. He sat through his classes, struggled with math, won the games in gym, and nearly took a nap at the very end. Now he awaited the final bell.

 _Rias has been keeping Akeno away from me this whole day. I almost didn't get to talk to her at all, and I can't find her during lunch._ Heathcliff thought as he glanced at the two girls talking. Rias winked at him, again.

 _[Dude, I think Rias is into you. Also, I think you might be overreacting.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff sighed and leaned back in his seat.

 _Probably… I'm agreeing with the overreacting part, not the part where you think Rias is into me. That's just absurd._ Heathcliff responded as he twirled a pencil in his hand.

 _[It might be. But what if it isn't?]_ Kiva asked. Heathcliff gripped the pencil.

 _Then I don't know what the fuck I'm going to do._

The bell rang. Heathcliff quickly got up and started to leave. He had just ducked under the doorway when he heard a beep over the PA system.

 _"Heathcliff King, please report to the infirmary to see the nurse."_

Heathcliff stopped dead in the middle of the hallway, his heart skipping a beat.

 _Fuck… I hate getting called places. They always make it seem like I did something wrong._ Heathcliff thought as he calmed down and started navigating the halls. He descended the stairs and found himself… lost.

"Shit… which way was it again? I swore I walked past it the one time…" Heathcliff muttered as he wandered around. He adjusted his bag and scratched his head as he searched.

After about two minutes of wandering around, Heathcliff saw a sign with "Infirmary" and a red cross on it. He sighed in relief and entered the room, ducking as he walked in.

"Hello? You sent for the King, here I am." Heathcliff called as he entered the infirmary. He heard a slight bang from where he could feel a presence and saw a shadow move beyond a curtain.

"Just a moment, Mister King!" a woman's voice called. Heathcliff shrugged and leaned on the wall by the door. After said moment, a beautiful, buxom woman appeared. She had long, black hair down to her waist and shimmering brown eyes behind a pair of glasses. She fumbled with her lab coat and skirt for a moment. Heathcliff blinked in slight astonishment.

 _What the fuck? Is there some hot gene here that's just fucking everywhere? I mean really, hot school nurses aren't a thing. Not even in America, according to Zeb. Do TV tropes just exist here? Is that a thing?_ Heathcliff wondered in thought. He stood up and waited as the woman righted herself.

"Okay… Hi, I'm Miss Hana Kinaki, you can call me Hana. You must be Heathcliff King. Wow, I didn't think these records were right when they said you were so tall, but just look at you!" Hana exclaimed, adjusting her glasses as she looked at Heathcliff.

"Yeah. Getting through doorways around here is damn near impossible." Heathcliff said with an annoyed sigh. Hana giggled and headed for her desk.

"Come, sit down. I won't keep you too long… maybe." Hana said with a smile as she sat down. She crossed her long, plump legs and exposed more of her pantyhose that were barely covered by the small, black skirt she wore. Heathcliff could feel his cheeks flush as he sat down in the small chair provided for him.

"Aw, you don't fit on the chair…" Hana said with a suppressed giggle. Heathcliff sighed at her.

"I know… it's annoying." Heathcliff sighed as he tried to adjust himself on the seat correctly and set his bag down. Hana giggled again.

"Would it be nicer if we sat on one of the beds? No one's here right now, so don't worry." Hana said, standing up again. Heathcliff nodded and stood up.

"Yes, that would be awesome." Heathcliff said, following Hana over to a bed. He sat down and relaxed a little.

"Better?" Hana asked with a slight giggle. Heathcliff nodded as she retrieved her chair and sat down in front of him.

"Alright, Heathcliff, I just need you to look over this information that the school was provided. I like to confirm this stuff with the students so that nothing goes awry." Hana explained, handing Heathcliff a clipboard. He accepted it and flipped it around to read the paperwork.

"Aw, how did you get such a nasty scar?" Hana asked, interrupting Heathcliff's reading. He glanced down at his arm and shrugged, turning back to the paper.

"Machete fight. No one really has guns back in Australia so people have knives and things. Made a guy real mad the one night and he decided to cut me." Heathcliff explained as he read over the papers.

 _Everything seems right. Mum's been pretty good with health and stuff over the years, plus there's you, Kiva. Our bonding made me immune to sickness and health complications._ Heathcliff thought as he flipped through the papers.

"Oh, that must've hurt terribly!" Hana commented, leaning in closely and examining Heathcliff's scar.

"Nah, I was really hammered and barely registered what had happened when he did that. My friend on the other hand… he saw that and decked the fellow." Heathcliff explained as he finished reading the few papers. Hana looked up at him curiously.

"Australia's drinking age is eighteen." Heathcliff said. Hana nodded, her curiosity satisfied. She continued to examine his scar, though.

 _[Huh, I wonder why I haven't fixed that scar on your arm.]_ Kiva said suddenly. Heathcliff rose an eyebrow.

 _Don't you remember? Pop wanted me to keep it. A reminder to watch myself and watch my mouth._ Heathcliff responded to the Synergetic.

 _[Oh yeah. This super-hot nurse seems really into it, though.]_ Kiva said with a chuckle. Heathcliff looked down at Hana.

 _Huh, I wonder why._ Heathcliff thought as Hana ran a finger across his scar. He shivered slightly at her cool touch.

At that very moment, Heathcliff's sixth sense went off like a bomb. He jerked his arm away from Hana, out of her reach, and blinked in shock at her.

 _Holy shit… she feels so… off. So off. She didn't seem hostile… but it feels like I'm going to lose something. Like she steals something. Also, do I have a half-chub?_ Heathcliff thought as Hana looked up at him with concern.

"Are you alright, Heathcliff? Did I hit a nerve?" Hana asked, leaning in close to Heathcliff. He shook his head and thought up a quick lie.

"I'm okay. You hand was just a little cold and I was just a little shocked. I wasn't expecting you to touch it." Heathcliff said, some truth hidden in his words. Hana nodded slowly and leaned back in her chair.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I probably should've asked but, the shape and depth of the scar is so intriguing. I'm just obsessed with anything to do with the human body." Hana explained, bowing her head slightly. Heathcliff recovered from his sensory overload and handed the clipboard back to her with a grin.

"It's alright, Miss Hana. I read over the info on here. You can also keep looking at my scar if you like." Heathcliff offered. Hana looked up at him with an excited smile.

"Really!? Oh, you're such a sweetheart! Thank you, Heathcliff." Hana said gratefully. She set the clipboard to the side and reached for Heathcliff's arm. He hesitantly let her grip his wrist and put her hand on his scar. Her touch was still cool, but seemed inviting.

 _[Doesn't she seem literally attractive? Like you're being magnetized to her?]_ Kiva asked curiously. Heathcliff hummed internally for a moment.

 _Yeah. I think that's what set my sense off. She's certainly there and pulling me in somehow. She feels human, but something is still wrong. Just like Rias and that Yumma girl._ Heathcliff responded as he watched Hana inspect his scar. She seemed so intrigued.

 _[Didn't you mention that Akeno felt the same way?]_ Kiva asked. Heathcliff blinked.

 _Yeah. Akeno does feel off. I thought it had something to do with the fact that I like her so much. But if you factor my feelings out, she still felt off when I really noticed her. I have to pay more attention to this sense._ Heathcliff thought as Hana poked his arm. He flexed momentarily when her cold finger jabbed his arm.

"Oops, sorry." Hana mumbled, not even bothering to look away from his arm. Heathcliff chuckled silently.

 _Well, she doesn't feel hostile. I doubt she's actually dangerous. I mean, look at her! She's practically a child playing with my arm like that! Wait a minute…_ Heathcliff trailed off in thought as Hana slowly stuck her tongue out and licked his scar. He felt the wet appendage roll across his skin and send shivers down his spine.

 _[Uh…]_

"Um…"

Hana quickly turned to look at the extremely confused and embarrassed Heathcliff. Her eyes widened as she slowly seemed to realize what she just did.

"You… uh… lick students… often?" Heathcliff asked with a nervous and uncomfortable laugh. Hana slowly released his arm and sat with her head down. She was blushing furiously.

"I'm so sorry Heathcliff. I-I-I don't know why… I… I didn't mean to… um…" Hana stuttered, gripping the hem of her skirt tightly. Heathcliff stared at her, unable to respond.

 _What the_ fuck _was that about!? WHY DID SHE LICK ME!? What in God's fucking flying castle was that about!? WHAT THE FUCK!?_ Heathcliff screamed internally. All he heard from Kiva was a long, drone of confused noises.

"Um, there's no real excuse for something so inappropriate. I hope you can forgive me… and I would expect you to report such an incident." Hana mumbled. Heathcliff blinked as he slowly stopped reeling from the small event.

 _Does she have an excuse? What was she thinking that made her lick me? AND ME! Of all people! What the fuck!? WHAT THE FUCK!? Okay, okay. Let's calm down…_ Heathcliff thought as he took a deep breath. He inhaled and exhaled deeply for a few moments before tapping Hana on the shoulder with his non-licked arm. She looked up at him with regret filled eyes.

"Do uh… is there any reason at all that you can give me for doing that? I'm honestly just confused. I just want to know if maybe there's some reason I can grasp…" Heathcliff trailed off, unsure of his next words.

"Do you mind listening to a desperate woman's pleas?" Hana asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes. Heathcliff shrugged.

"Just… tell me something." Heathcliff said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. Hana nodded and reached out to hold Heathcliff's hand. Despite what she just did, Heathcliff allowed her to hold his hand.

"I'm terrible with men. Horrible. I haven't had a date since I botched the last one with something similarly awkward and inappropriate like I just did to you. I just can't hold myself back I'm so desperate. I'm so pent up… so lustful… I just… lost my control, understand? I'm sorry Heathcliff!" Hana exclaimed and started to sniffle a bit. She buried her face behind his hand and he felt a tear on it.

 _[She's… she's… deprived? She's desperate to the point of licking a student at the Academy she works at? What the fuck? Is that a thing?]_ Kiva wondered, seemingly back from the brink. Heathcliff sighed.

 _Unfortunately, there are people on both sides of sex that can't seem to hold a relationship and become desperate. I'm desperate, I know that… but I don't think I was ever_ this _desperate! I guess I get where she's coming from…_ Heathcliff thought in response. He gripped Hana's hand and tried to grin, slightly.

"Um… I guess I understand… and, uh, I forgive you." Heathcliff said with an awkward, sympathetic smile. Hana looked up at him, astonished and started to whimper.

"R-Really?" She asked quietly. Heathcliff nodded limply.

"T-Thank you so much, Heathcliff… You have no idea how much that means to me." Hana said with a sniffle, placing her forehead on his hand. Heathcliff sighed lightly and chuckled oddly.

"Well, I at least understand why… But, uh, I could… come around every so often. If you need someone to talk to, or just hang out with. Just don't lick me again without asking me first." Heathcliff said with a grin. Hana was shocked, she stared at him with wide eyes. Heathcliff chuckled awkwardly as she started to smile.

"Thank you, Heathcliff. I would enjoy that… The talking and hanging part, not… Well…" Hana trailed off with a light blush. Heathcliff squeaked as he felt his face flush.

 _Okay… I guess I taste good or some shit!_ Heathcliff thought as he glanced off to the side.

"Uh… okay. Sure. Sounds wonderful. I, uh, ought to be going now." Heathcliff said as he pulled his hand away and stood up. Hana regained her senses and stood up as well, clearing her throat and wiping her eyes.

"Of course. I'll see you around, Heathcliff. Bye for now." Hana said stiffly. She seemed to be containing herself.

 _I bet she wants to hug me or something._

"Did you want a hug- OOF!" Heathcliff nearly had the wind knocked out of him when Hana slammed into him. She hugged him tightly and rested her head on his chest. Heathcliff chuckled as he gently hugged her back.

"Thank you, Heathcliff." Hana whispered as she pressed into him. Heathcliff tried to ignore her large breasts as they pressed against him. He also had to ignore how Hana's leg was rubbing between his as she hugged him.

"Not a problem… I'm pretty huggable." Heathcliff chuckled. He heard Kiva make a mocking sound and growled internally at the Synergetic. Hana giggled as she buried herself in his chest.

"I know. You're so warm… and soft, and muscular. I'd like to be like this all day… but I've already tortured you enough, poor thing." Hana said as she let Heathcliff go. He internally sighed in relief as it was getting hard to ignore her body against his, as nice as it was.

"Yeah. I'll see you later, Miss Hana. G'day." Heathcliff said as he gathered his bag and headed for the door. Hana waved to him as he left.

Once Heathcliff had closed the door and started down the empty hall, he sighed deeply.

 _Fuck… that was insane… And, of course, in my stupidity, I offered to visit her…_ Heathcliff thought as he left the building. The sun was nearing the horizon when he looked across the sky.

 _How long was I in there? Fuck it… I just want to go home._ Heathcliff thought, heading out and leaving the school grounds.

* * *

Heathcliff found himself at the edge of dusk as he walked home. He lived pretty close to the school, but in thinking about his recent incident and how he was to deal with that nurse, he got slightly lost.

 _Well, I'm not too far off. The road I live on is over there._ Heathcliff thought as he walked through a park. He suddenly stopped as something set his sense off. Someone.

It was the presence from last night.

Heathcliff kept walking, though, acting normally. He sensed them, he knew where they were. He could feel their hostile presence and watched it warily. It followed him.

 _Be ready to use Combat Morph._ Heathcliff called to Kiva. He heard a hum in response and felt the creature move ever so slightly on his back.

Heathcliff kept walking. He stopped by the fountain and looked up. Something was very wrong. His sense hit a barrier, a barrier that he couldn't sense through. He could see it. It was a colorful barrier that shattered the sky. A red hue fell across the park as Heathcliff heard something flap behind him.

 _Incoming!_ Heathcliff thought as he rolled to the side. A glowing object flew past him as he dodged and speared into the ground where he was standing. Heathcliff jumped up against a tree and spotted his enemy, floating in the sky.

There was no time to question it.

 **"Combat Morph!"**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **How's that for another chapter? Little longer than the last one. I spent a several hours over the course of three days to do this. I hope the effort is worth it.**

 **Anyway, thanks guys.**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis!**


	3. And He Is Honorable

Chapter 3

And He Is Honorable

 **A** glowing spear impacted the tree that once held Heathcliff. The attacker, a small blonde girl with pigtails and a gothic dress, floated up to the tree with a curious expression. She inspected the wood around the impact site and pulled her spear free. Claw marks were present on the tree bark, deeply slashing the wood.

"Claws? He didn't have claws." The girl said, scratching her head as she flapped her black bird wings on her back. She floated into the center of the park and slowly scanned the area. She heard the rustling of leaves and gasped lightly, turning to face the noise. A slight red glow appeared behind the leaves before vanishing.

A branch snapped.

A flash of glowing red appeared behind some leaves again. The girl held her spear at the ready, warily watching the trees.

"Mittelt! What's taking you!?" a man in a trench coat with a fedora shouted as he walked into the center of the park. He grew a similar pair of black wings and floated up to Mittelt.

"Dohnaseek! He shouted something about combat and morphing before vanishing into the trees. He left some claw marks on the tree over there. Now I just keep hearing movement and seeing something glow." Mittelt explained as she scanned the trees. Dohnaseek sighed and summoned a spear of his own.

"Dammit. He was just supposed to be a normal kid with a powerful entity in him. Lord Kokabiel wants whatever this kid's carrying in him and we're going to retrieve it!" Dohnaseek growled as he held his spear at the ready. Mittelt nodded and they flew back to back.

"So, you want my power?" A monstrous voice echoed across the park. The two flying individuals tensed up as some branches shook. Dohnaseek threw a spear at the branches. He heard it hit wood and cursed.

"Ha… I can sense everything you do. I can smell you. I can see you. I can hear you. I can even taste you a little…" the voice said with a chuckle. Dohnaseek summoned another spear and threw it at a red glow beyond a patch of leaves. It hit wood again.

"Son of a bitch… he's fast." Dohnaseek sighed as he turned a bit. He then ducked a little as his spear was launched back at him by a powerful force. He couldn't dissipate it before it stabbed his hat and stuck in a tree across the park with the piece of apparel attached.

"Shit! Watch when you throw. If you don't get a hit on him, deactivate the spear." Dohnaseek explained to Mittelt. The girl nodded and gripped her spear tightly.

"How about I give you a chance to leave? If you leave and never bother me again, I might let you live." The voice offered as another branch snapped. Dohnaseek growled.

"Fuck you! We are Fallen Angels and we serve our Leader Kokabiel! He has ordered your death and it shall be done!" Dohnaseek shouted, summoning a spear and watching the shadows. The voice laughed deeply.

"Then you will die."

Mittelt screamed and vanished from Dohnaseek's side. He turned around and saw her hanging by her neck. A black, sticky, rope-like substance was hanging the small Fallen Angel from a tree branch. Dohnaseek growled and threw a spear at the substance. He split the rope and Mittelt fell to the ground coughing.

"Oh God! He's horrifying! A monster! I'm not fighting that thing!" Mittelt screamed as she ripped the substance off of her neck. It started decaying after leaving her skin. She got up and started flying away, leaving a pissed Dohnaseek.

"You stupid bitch! Damn you, kid! Where are you!?" Dohnaseek shouted as he scanned the trees. He heard an echoing laugh that made him visibly shudder.

"I am where you think I am." The voice responded. Dohnaseek turned to his right and threw his spear at the trees. It didn't impact anything and he could see it glowing next to a red glow.

The eerie red glow.

It was an eye. A large, slit pupil eye. It glowed a deep red and blinked sideways at him.

Dohnaseek felt a rush of fear, fear a Fallen Angel should not feel.

"Fine… You live for now! But watch yourself, you monster!" Dohnaseek yelled as he took off after Mittelt. The harrowing laughter echoing from the woods behind him rang in his ears.

* * *

 _[Think we should go after them?]_ Kiva asked after a moment of silence. Heathcliff watched them go through his improved night vision and watched the barrier around him fall. Night became dark again all around him and he could still see them fleeing.

 _No, I think I terrified them well enough. As easy as it would be to track them, I doubt I need to._ Heathcliff responded in thought. He looked down at himself and chuckled.

His clothing was gone. He was covered in a white, fungal like substance from head to toe that layered, almost looking like bark. His fingers and feet were clawed. His feet could conform to grip the branch he crouched on. Black stripes of the substance ran up the sides of his chest, down the sides of his legs and across the back of his arms. The stripes connected at his shoulders and ran down the sides of his back as well, following the irregular pattern of his flesh.

The stripes converged on the center of his torso and formed a main mass with jagged veins stretching all across his body. The veins converged on his lower back where Kiva was.

Two curved and jagged, black spikes stuck up on either side of him above his shoulders from his back. The spikes were connected to the black stripes that continued across to the base of his neck. His head was dramatically changed, having a sharper and more snake-like head. His face jutted out to a point like a lizard's would, placing his large, glowing red eyes slightly on the sides of his head, but still facing forward. The black stripes continued up his neck and went around his eyes, outlining them before stopping at a set of black spikes on the back of his head, like hair.

He smiled, exposing glistening, sharp, and jagged teeth. He had a long, forked tongue that slithered between his teeth. He snorted through his flattened nostrils and chuckled gain.

"It's been… awhile since I used this form." Heathcliff mumbled, still not used to his bestial voice. He turned and spit on the ground. His spit ignited and burned away.

"Of course… how could I forget fire breathing?" Heathcliff said with a chuckle as he breathed in deeply.

 _[Try not to burn the park down.]_ Kiva said with a chuckle. Heathcliff grinned and opened his maw wide, wider than humanly possible, revealing even more teeth along his extended jaw.

Heathcliff roared inhumanly as he released a stream of fire from his mouth. It sprayed across the cobblestone and left blackened marks.

"HAHA! Wonderful!" Heathcliff laughed as he aimed his arm at the opposite tree.

"And of course, my webbing." Heathcliff said as a black, gooey tendril fired from his wrist and connected to the tree with a splat. He gripped the strand and pulled himself to the other tree, hanging by the thread. He released the string and it started to decay as he dropped nimbly onto the tree branch below.

Two presences appeared nearby.

 _Shit! I can't risk anymore problems today._ Heathcliff thought, jumping to another tree entirely with a powerful leap. He retrieved his school bag from the high branches witha web that retracted into his wrist and started leaping through the trees towards home.

* * *

Heathcliff stared at his house from across the street. He sat on a branch, watching the singular light on the bottom floor. A shadow passed by it every so often.

 _Now… was I able to revert this form, or did it dissipate when I ran out of energy or something?_ Heathcliff thought, looking at his clawed hand.

 _[It will revert once you give the command.]_ Kiva answered briefly. Heathcliff nodded, but stayed where he was. The two presences from earlier were nearby, he feared that they followed him.

 _They're both female… so they can't be the guy and the girl who were flying around earlier. They feel different, but the same kind of off like those two did._ Heathcliff thought, glancing to his left. The presences were coming closer.

Suddenly, he couldn't sense them individually.

 _What the hell? It's like that barrier I couldn't sense through earlier. They disappeared and this spherical barrier replaced them. What the fuck could that be?_ Heathcliff thought as he crept up into the shadows in a crouch. The singular, sense blocking mass drew closer. He gripped the right side spike and started to pull. The hardened spike started forming a blade as he pulled it out of his flesh. The sharp, jagged, and shiny blade was black with brownish-orange, wavy markings across it.

 _Mahogany Obsidian swords. I forgot that I could form them off the end of these handles._ Heathcliff thought as he drew the short, obsidian sword. It was a double edged blade with small chips in it. The shiny rock glimmered in the moonlight that barely shined through the trees. The mass that was closing in stopped by the tree next to the one Heathcliff was in.

He felt eyes through the barrier.

Heathcliff hissed quietly. They could see him, but he could only sense where they were. Whatever the barrier was it blocked his other senses aside from his sixth that could sense the barrier and their eyes.

 _Dammit… how are they watching me through the barrier!? FUCK!_ Heathcliff growled as he glared down at the barrier. He prepared his fire breath as he stashed his bag in the branches with his free hand.

 _[Don't move. Maybe they'll leave.]_ Kiva advised. Heathcliff hummed in agreement and stayed still, staring down at where the barrier and eyes were. He knew he was making eye contact. They blinked at looked away every so often when he changed from one to the other.

It was only after Heathcliff calmed down a bit when the barrier split for a second and then reformed. Next to the barrier, appearing from thin air was a small girl with white hair in a Kuoh uniform. She looked up at Heathcliff with a stoic expression.

 _Who the fuck is she and how did she just appear? Was she inside of that barrier?_ Heathcliff wondered, narrowing his eyes at the girl. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and bent down to a large rock next to her.

 _She's not going to throw that at me._ Heathcliff thought, watching the girl slowly pry the rock out of the ground.

She threw it at Heathcliff.

With a sharp hiss, Heathcliff caught the rock with his free hand as it headed for his face. He was surprised by the amount of force behind the throw and that girl certainly proved him wrong.

The eyes behind the barrier widened, as if in realization. Heathcliff glanced at the barrier before turning his attention back to the little girl. She scrutinized him before holding her hands up in a catching position.

 _She wants me to throw it back…?_ Heathcliff wondered as the girl nodded to the rock in his hand. He shrugged and tossed it back down with about the same amount of force the girl used.

She returned it like a volleyball and Heathcliff hissed in confusion. She nodded to him as it crested up above his head. Heathcliff reached up and smacked it back down, like he had done several times in gym class. It slammed into the dirt where it had been resting before being pried away.

Again, the eyes behind the barrier widened at him. Heathcliff glared at the barrier briefly before turning back to the small girl. She was still staring at him with an expressionless face.

 _I think they're testing me. Trying to figure out what I am. I think I ought to throw them off a bit._ Heathcliff thought as he watched the girl. He slowly sheathed his sword, it deconstructed into his flesh as he placed the spike back on his back. The girl picked up a smaller rock this time and tossed at Heathcliff. He let it hit him in the chest and fall to the ground.

The girl quirked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. She then turned back towards the large rock and threw it at Heathcliff again. He caught it and threw it back after a moment. The girl knocked it back to him like she had before. This time, Heathcliff merely swatted it out of the air with a mighty blow. The rock slammed into the tree opposite of his and landed on the ground with a thud.

 _How was that? Makes it seem like I don't recognize your tests, eh?_ Heathcliff thought as he grinned internally. He slithered his tongue between his teeth and hissed quietly. This technically was his territory and decided to act as if they intruded. If he could prove that he's more animal that human, then they might stop testing him for his human intelligence.

The girl watched him as he lightly hissed at her. She nodded randomly and reached into a bag on her back. She pulled out a piece of paper and started to write on it. After a moment, she turned the paper around and showed it to Heathcliff.

 _"Can you read this?"_ the paper read. Heathcliff could read perfectly well, he just didn't acknowledge that anything was written there and stayed motionless as he crouched on the branch. The girl eventually shook her head and crumpled the paper up, throwing it at Heathcliff. He caught it in his hand and looked at it. He deiced to lick it and the paper caught fire shortly after his spit mixed on it.

The girl looked surprised as the paper burned in his hand. It quickly turned to ashes and Heathcliff let them fall off of his hand. The girl quirked a curious eyebrow and looked around the tree line. She picked it up and tossed it at Heathcliff. He caught it and looked at her.

The girl made a licking motion to a similar stick. Heathcliff blinked at her and just tossed the stick to the side. The girl groaned quietly and then dropped her stick. She turned to the barrier and shook her head.

The barrier fell.

 _What the…_

 _[Fuck?]_

Rias appeared next to the smaller girl. She was already facing Heathcliff with a curious stare and had her arms crossed under her bust.

 _She was behind that barrier? How did she do that?_ Heathcliff wondered. He tilted his head slightly at Rias.

 _[I've never seen that before. Sure, there were Synergetics who could camouflage themselves like that… but Assassin Types like me could still sense them.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff made a surprised noise.

 _Wait, your kind was categorized with different types?_ Heathcliff wondered. Kiva hadn't really spoken about his kind very much, aside from explaining what he could do for Heathcliff.

 _[Yeah. I'll tell you about it after this situation.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff hummed in confirmation as he watched Rias walk up to the tree. He stared down at her and narrowed his eyes. He hissed at her for extra effect.

"Can you understand me?" Rias asked quietly. Heathcliff froze, unsure of how to respond.

 _Should I be able to understand her? It would tell them I'm intelligent, to a degree._ Heathcliff thought as he remained motionless.

 _[Maybe… see where this goes?]_ Kiva suggested.

 _Alright… I'll make it seem like I hear her, in a way._ Heathcliff responded. He then tilted his head and blinked at Rias. She hummed in thought.

"Huh… I wonder if it recognizes our language?" Rias wondered to herself. Heathcliff made a light hissing sound that drew her attention.

"Do you understand me? Can you… wave?" Rias wondered. Heathcliff tilted his head at her. She pouted a bit and went back to thinking.

"Koneko, do you think it would understand you?" Rias wondered. The small girl, Koneko, shrugged. Rias waved her over and she looked up at Heathcliff.

Koneko then meowed.

 _"Hello?"_ Heathcliff interpreted the meow. He blinked in slight shock.

 _Shit, I forgot I could interpret animals… but this girl isn't an animal! How can I interpret her!?_ Heathcliff thought. He heard Kiva laugh.

 _[Dude, that scared the shit out of me! I don't know what to do or how you can hear her. Maybe she has cats and somehow talks to them? Usually when humans use animal noises it sounds like gibberish to me and you.]_ Kiva stated. Heathcliff sighed internally as he stared down at Koneko.

She meowed again.

 _"Can you understand me?"_ Heathcliff heard. He tilted his head, as if he didn't understand her. Koneko sighed and turned to Rias with a shrug. Heathcliff could understand them perfectly, but he couldn't risk letting anyone else know he was a monster. Especially people he knew.

"I suppose all we can do is leave it alone. It hasn't attacked anyone. It actually defended itself from those two Fallen Angels." Rias muttered to herself. Heathcliff perked up at the mention of those words again.

 _Fallen Angels? That Doughnut fellow earlier mentioned that he was a Fallen Angel. Aren't those Angels that fell from Heaven because they sinned or something? I haven't brushed up on my Bible reading since Sunday school._ Heathcliff thought as watched them. Rias glanced up at him one last time before turning to leave.

"Come on,Koneko. Let's leave it alone. We'll watch to see if it appears again in the future." Rias said, walking away from the followed and the two walked off into the distance. Heathcliff waited around until their presences melded into the rim of his sense with the hundreds of other presences in the distance. Once he was sure they were gone, Heathcliff retrieved his bag and leaped across the street to his house in a singular bound.

* * *

"Welcome back you two. Did you find out what those Fallen Angels were after?" Akeno asked as Rias and Koneko entered the clubroom. Rias relaxed on the couch and Akeno handed her a cup of tea.

"Thank you. Ugh… We found the creature they were after. It was very… odd." Rias started. Akeno grew a curious smile and sat down with Koneko on the opposite couch, handing the girl a teacup. Koneko nodded to her and sipped her tea. Akeno took a sip of her own as Rias continued.

"It was a monstrous looking thing with sickly white flesh and a slightly pointed head. It had claws and gripped the branch it sat on like it had four hands. It had these glowing, red, reptilian eyes and a long tongue with sharp teeth." Rias explained, visibly uncomfortable by the memory. Koneko shivered as well.

"Scary. Did it attack you?" Akeno inquired. Rias shook her head.

"No, it only seemed to defend itself. I had Koneko try to play volleyball with the creature using a rock and… oddly enough, it caught the rock like Heathcliff did the other day." Rias explained, recalling the event. Akeno rose a curious eyebrow.

"Really?" Akeno wondered in amazement. Rias nodded with a thoughtful look, setting her tea on the coffee table.

"Uh-huh. I suppose it did that because it's a monster and can easily catch things. It didn't seem to understand us, either. It seemed peaceful enough so we left it alone. I think it might've been scared of us attacking it. Who knows?" Rias wondered with a sigh. Her results seemed inconclusive about the creature. Koneko nodded, agreeing with Rias' words.

"Huh… Did it seem magical at all?" Akeno wondered. Rias thought for a moment.

"No… but it did somehow light some paper on fire by licking it." Rias answered with a sigh. She went back into thought, frustrated with her results of testing the beast. Akeno nodded and Koneko sighed.

"I tried communicating with it by meowing. Didn't work." Koneko said with an embarrassed expression. Akeno giggled and patted Koneko on the head.

"Poor kitty." Akeno teased. Koneko grumbled and sipped her tea. Rias sighed across from them.

"Well, I suppose that's all for that. Let's get back to work…"

* * *

 _ **The Next Day…**_

* * *

Heathcliff found himself reaching for his phone as he awoke. He turned the alarm off on the device and sighed.

 _Why am I getting up at ten on a Saturday…? OH SHIT!_ Heathcliff shot bolt upright in his bed and climbed out. He went over to his closet and sifted through the clothing inside. He pulled out a black flannel and a white t-shirt.

"That ought to work… pants!" Heathcliff exclaimed, pulling open a drawer next to his closet. He pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans and a set of boxers and headed across the hall to the shower. His mother was climbing the stairs when he was about to enter the bathroom.

"Heathcliff, what were you doing in your Combat Morph last night when you came in?" Heathcliff's mother asked, stopping Heathcliff in the hall. He turned towards her and sighed.

"It's a bit of a long story and I don't have much time. Some weirdoes decided to ambush me in the park when I was wandering back to the house. Don't worry, I scared them off." Heathcliff explained briefly. His mother nodded, but was concerned.

"Be careful, Heathcliff. I'd hate for you to get hurt out there." She said with a sigh. Heathcliff nodded and slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door.

"I will!" He called beyond the door. His mother left the hall and he showered quickly. He exited the bathroom with wet hair was already dressed. His flannel sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his scar. He went into his room and put his boots on before heading downstairs. He slipped his phone in his pocket and strapped a nice, silver watch on.

The time read ten thirty in the morning.

"Damn… no time. Shit! Wallet!" Heathcliff growled as he leaped back up the stairs and planted his hand on the opposite wall. He pushed off and landed in his room through the open door. He grabbed a very expensive looking wallet out of a drawer and then ran back into the hall, leaping down the stairs.

"Heath? Are you going to be late for your date with Akeno?" His mother asked as he landed at the base of the staircase.

"Not if I improvise!" Heathcliff called as he ran out the front door, grabbing his key on the way out.

"Have fun!" His mother called as he ran down the street. He waved and vanished around the corner.

* * *

 _Kiva, block my sweat so I don't smell bad and release the heat through yourself, would you?_ Heathcliff asked as he ran around a corner and through a crosswalk that just changed. Cars honked at him and he flipped them off as he ran past. He weaved through the people on the street and dodged a newspaper stand.

 _[Already on it.]_ Kiva responded.

 _Thanks pal. I don't need to smell like a pig when I meet Akeno._ Heathcliff thought with a grin as he ran. He felt the heat he was generating exit through his lower back and he didn't feel a drop of sweat on his skin. He ran through a large street corner with many, many short people crowding it.

 _Ah fuck… Well, they are really short…_ Heathcliff thought. He increased his already inhuman speed and leaped over the crowd. He grasped the streetlamp pole and spun around it, launching him towards a less urbanized part of town. The people below him cried out in shock and awe as he landed on the far street.

"Acrobatic stuntman! Pay me no mind!" Heathcliff called as he ran off into the foliage. He slowed down when he saw the temple stairs along the path. A few cars passed by on the remote road as he walked. He arrived at the path to the stairs and started down it. He checked his watch and saw he was five minutes early.

 _Wonderful. How's my homeostasis looking?_ Heathcliff wondered.

 _[Your body has restored homeostasis. I'm releasing my hold on your functions.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff felt some warmth return but a cool breeze fixed that.

"Okay… act natural, Heath. She's hot… this is known, but don't lose your shit." Heathcliff said to himself as he climbed the temple stairs. He reached the top and looked around a bit at the Japanese shrine.

 _I never understood these. We have some churches in Australia, but no shrines as far as I know._ Heathcliff thought, looking around the shrine. He poked a statue.

"Heath!" Akeno called as she came out of the far building. Heathcliff immediately stepped away from the statue and faced her. He was dumbfounded.

Akeno approached in a tight, black t-shirt that conformed to her torso and a short skirt with stockings underneath. Heathcliff stared at her and ran his hand across his hair, fixing it slightly. Akeno stopped in front of him, clasping her hand bag in front of her. She twisted around slightly from side to side. The way she positioned her arms squished her chest together.

"They used to say to me that there is only one God. Clearly that was bullshit because I seem to have found a Goddess." Heathcliff said as he stared into Akeno's eyes. She blushed a bit and giggled.

"Thank you, Heath. But, I'm not a goddess, just a lowly shrine maiden." Akeno said with a bashful smile. Heathcliff chuckled.

"Then may the Lord smite me for my blasphemy because I'm starting to believe in you." Heathcliff said, he then sighed internally.

 _Oh… oh Christ. That was so stupid sounding… why did I say that?_ Heathcliff groaned internally, leaving an awkward grin on the outside. As he berated himself, Akeno started giggling.

"My, you're so silly, Heath." Akeno giggled. Heathcliff blinked at her and sighed.

"I'm more dumb than silly, but I'll take it." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno shook her head and smiled.

"I think you've got something up there in the clouds." Akeno said, reaching up and poking Heathcliff's nose. He sniffled as she poked him and rubbed his nose.

"I almost sneezed there. I hope I'm not allergic to you, lest I commit suicide." Heathcliff joked. He sighed internally at his terrible joke.

 _I was never a good comedian…_ Heathcliff thought as Akeno giggled at him.

"Aw, that's sweet in an odd, self-destructive way." Akeno said with a soft laugh. Heathcliff chuckled dryly.

"Self-destruction! Yay!" Heathcliff deadpanned. Akeno giggled again and they grew silent for a moment.

"So, uh, I have absolutely no idea where to go." Heathcliff admitted with a grin. Akeno sighed in feign annoyance.

"I guess I was wrong. You are dumb." Akeno teased. Heathcliff pouted at her.

"Wow, thanks. I really appreciate that." Heathcliff said sarcastically. Akeno laughed at him and reached her hand out to him.

"Let's walk and figure something out." Akeno said, moving her fingers to encourage Heathcliff. He looked down at her hand, then back to her smiling face.

 _Oh… I really like this girl._ Heathcliff thought, nervously taking Akeno's hand in his. He was surprised when she gripped his hand with bone-crushing strength.

"Lord Almighty, you've got a crazy strong grip on you! Remind me not to piss you off." Heathcliff exclaimed, flexing his hand a bit as Akeno giggled and lessened her grip.

"Sorry. I'll make sure to let you know if you start annoying me." Akeno said with a mischievous grin. Heathcliff sighed.

"Sure ya will. Next thing I know you're kicking my ass." Heathcliff said as they started walking down the stairs. Akeno laughed at him and leaned on his arm as they descended. They fell silent as they started walking into town…

* * *

Heathcliff groaned as he sat down on a chair in a clothing store. Akeno had asked him if he'd be kind enough to help her with something. Of course, Heathcliff being himself, agreed without thinking. Now he was stuck, waiting on the other side of the door to the changing room without a clue as to what he was helping with.

 _I really have to start thinking before I do shit._ Heathcliff thought with a sigh. He looked around the store he sat in and quirked an eyebrow.

 _There's uh… lot more underwear than what I expected. What could she possibly be doing? She brought me in here, zipped around and then told me to wait._ Heathcliff thought as he lowered his head and stared at his boots.

 _[I think she's trying on some sexy underwear for you.]_ Kiva suggested with a chuckle. Heathcliff snorted quietly.

 _Yeah, right. I met her two days ago, it'd be pretty weird to try on underwear on your first date and show it to the bloke. I wouldn't complain, though…_ Heathcliff responded. He heard Kiva laugh before fading away again. He wondered what the creature thought about, and then remembered that the creature didn't really think since it did not have the ability to do so.

Heathcliff waited around for several minutes, glancing at his watch every time the minute didn't go faster. He tapped his boot on the floor, twiddled his thumbs as he leaned on his legs, and whistled the Australian National Anthem. Whole thing. Some wandering shoppers glanced at him curiously as he whistled the tune that they'd probably never heard before.

 _Huh, now that I think about it, I don't know a goddamn thing about this country. Aside from their extremely weird porn and cartoons. I do know that more and more of the kids here are getting stuck in front of an idiot box and computers, and that they spend less time outside. If I wasn't outside for at least an hour sometimes, then Pa would think I was sick or dying._ Heathcliff shook his head, clearing it of memories he'd prefer to think on another day.

"Heath? I didn't bore you to death, did I?" Akeno's voice called from beyond the door. Heathcliff perked up and grinned.

"Nah. I'm quite alive, least I think I am." Heathcliff responded. He heard a giggle before the handle to the door moved.

"Alright, be honest and stare if you have to. What do you think?" Akeno asked as she opened the door and stepped out. She was wearing a long, red and pink dress with some ruffled sleeve ends. She twirled around in it and her hair narrowly missed Heathcliff's face.

"You look absolutely amazing." Heathcliff said, slightly dumbfounded. Akeno smiled at him.

"I can see it in your eyes. You have more to say, right?" Akeno asked with a smirk. Heathcliff nodded in slight embarrassment.

 _Damn… she sees straight through me, don't she?_ Heathcliff thought as he looked her up and down. He noticed her hair was still done up and had a thought.

"You know… I wonder how you'd look with your hair down?" Heathcliff wondered, standing up and towering over Akeno a bit. She smiled and tugged on the bow in her hair.

"Before I undo it, do you know how to tie a bow like this?" Akeno asked with a sly grin. Heathcliff nodded.

"I ought to. Mum was pretty adamant about me learning how to make stuff look pretty. Guess it's cause she only had a stupid bloke instead of a pretty little daughter." Heathcliff said with a sigh. Akeno giggled and turned around, pulling on the bow. It became undone and her hair fell freely in a spray as she twirled around again.

 _Oh my… Jesus… she's even cuter. How is that possible?_ Heathcliff thought as he stared in awe at Akeno. She blushed and poked him in the chest.

"Well? Say something…" Akeno mumbled. Heathcliff regained his senses and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah… You're even cuter, which is impossible since you were already at the max level. Your hair is just so beautiful. Like a waterfall, shimmering black in the moonlight under the thousands of stars in the outback. Your dress is red like the rocky hills that surround the falls. And your eyes… the captivating… violet flowers dotting the land." Heathcliff explained quietly, pushing a loose strand of Akeno's hair behind her ear. She blushed as he leaned down to look directly into her eyes.

"Looking into the void of which I do not wish to return from. Filled to the brim with power, elegance, and beauty, this is no mere void. It is a realm, one of which lies eternal joy." Heathcliff continued with a smile. Akeno blushed a bit more and shied away a bit.

"For an idiot, you sure have a way with words. Worming your way into my heart…" Akeno mumbled, leaning her forehead on Heathcliff's. He chuckled deeply, lightly running his hand through her hair.

"I prefer slithering, since I'm so smooth." Heathcliff said with a dorky grin. Akeno giggled at yet another terrible joke from the Australian.

"Smooth as sandpaper." Akeno responded with a cheeky smile. Heathcliff feigned shock.

"Oh! Not my pride…" Heathcliff muttered. Akeno giggled at him and gripped the edge of his shirt.

"People are staring at us. I think we ought to make a move." Akeno said as she started to back up, tugging Heathcliff along.

"Huh? What'd ya mean, make a move? Wait, why are you pulling me in here?" Heathcliff wondered as Akeno pulled him into the changing room and shut the door. She giggled as she stuffed her orange ribbon is his shirt pocket and moved him towards the bench.

"Sit." Akeno ordered. Heathcliff, the gullible goof, sat down on the bench.

"So… uh… why am I in here?" Heathcliff asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Akeno shushed him by putting a finger to his lips and pulling her ribbon back out. She then moved her hair to the side and promptly sat down on Heathcliff's lap. This resulted in him freezing up.

"Uh… um… A-Akeno…?" Heathcliff mumbled, blushing furiously. He tried ignoring how her soft thighs and plump butt were resting on top of him.

 _[This took an interesting turn.]_ Kiva commented. Heathcliff growled at him internally.

 _Oy, would you mind leaving me alone for the moment? I don't need your commentary._ Heathcliff said. He heard Kiva laugh and then fade away. He sighed as he returned to the situation at hand.

"I want you to put my hair back up, got it? Then we'll be on our way and I'll have some shopping bags for you to carry." Akeno said with a cheeky smile. Heathcliff shook his head and sighed.

"Of course I'll carry them. I'm just wondering why you have to… sit… on me…" Heathcliff trailed off as Akeno ground herself into him.

"You don't mind, do you?" Akeno asked with a seductive smirk. Heathcliff gulped a bit.

"Well… that wasn't really my concern…" Heathcliff answered, glancing off to the side. Akeno giggled playfully as she grinded her hips again. Heathcliff nearly squeaked a bit as she rubbed him.

"Of course you don't, you naughty, naughty boy…" Akeno teased with a playful grin. Heathcliff blushed and sighed in embarrassment.

"Dammit… just give me the ribbon." Heathcliff muttered, holding his hand out. Akeno slipped the ribbon into his hand and he began to gather up her hair.

"Aw, I thought you'd at least enjoy yourself a bit. It's not every day that I decide to sit on my date's lap so he can give me a feel." Akeno said with a teasing grin. Heathcliff blinked at her and boiled as he blushed.

"W-What? Seriously? You think I'm going to grope you?" Heathcliff asked, slightly shocked.

"Well, yes and no. A test if you will. You can touch my body, but if you do something I don't like, then you get punished." Akeno said playfully. Heathcliff chuckled nervously.

"Oh, wonderful. I was certainly looking to die today." Heathcliff muttered. He slowly started to tie Akeno's hair into her long ponytail, doing the bow knot correctly. He finished and let go of her hair. Akeno felt around the knot and smiled back at him.

"Perfect. Now what are you going to do?" Akeno asked, her sweet smile making him blush.

 _I don't know… I'm not going to grope her. That's just not right. I do feel the strong urge to do so, but… Huh, I kind of just want to hug her. She's so loveable and playful… and she just makes me feel… safe? Weird, I've never felt this way about a girl. This just seems like we're accelerating our relationship way too fast. Are we? Or is she just as into me as I find myself into her?_ Heathcliff wondered as Akeno patiently waited for him to do something.

 _I wonder a lot. Let's see if I'm capable of more action than wonder._ Heathcliff thought as he placed his hands on Akeno's hips. She giggled as he slowly slid his arms around her waist. He then pulled her into him and rested his chin on her shoulder, the sudden action shocked her slightly. He sighed happily as he inhaled her sweet, natural scent.

"You're just going to cuddle me?" Akeno wondered. Heathcliff nodded slightly.

"Yah… you're relaxing, but playful. You're sweet and savage. A perfect cocktail that'll put me on the floor. The lighting, and the thunder. I just like enjoying you, even when it seems you tempted me to do what any sane bloke would've done. Lucky for me, I'm quite insane." Heathcliff mumbled as he embraced Akeno. She smiled at him and leaned into his grip, placing her hands over his.

"You're quite interesting, Heath. I was right to go out with you. I don't think anyone has made me feel so… intrigued, but also assured. As if everything is going to be alright as long as you're here. Yet, we just barely know each other. It's… interesting." Akeno said, reaching back and placing a hand on Heathcliff's cheek. She pinched him and he groaned softly.

"Goddammit… why did I not see that coming?" Heathcliff muttered as Akeno giggled in his arms. They fell silent for a moment before a knock came at the door.

"Ma'am, are you okay in there?" the store clerk called. Akeno perked up and Heathcliff became absolutely still.

"Yes, I'll be out in a moment." Akeno responded. The woman on the other side hummed and walked away. Heathcliff let out a breath he was holding.

"Don't bring me into one of these again. Gives decent folk the wrong idea." Heathcliff sighed quietly. Akeno giggled and squirmed out of his grasp. Heathcliff maneuvered around her and exited the stall, crashing on the chair where he was before.

"Wait just a moment and we can be on our way." Akeno said as she closed the door. Heathcliff gave her a thumbs up and sighed.

 _Well, that was odd. I was pretty okay with it, though. I think we grew a bit closer…_ Heathcliff thought as he took a deep breath. He relaxed in the chair for a moment.

 _I would've been fine if she hadn't left me with half a bone…_ Heathcliff thought, glancing down at his pants. He sighed as the door opened again and Akeno strode out, dress in hand.

"Ready?" Akeno asked, poking Heathcliff on the forehead. He nodded and stood up, taking her hand in his as the headed for the counter.

* * *

After purchasing Akeno's dress- something Heathcliff did out of kindness with some regret, seeing as how the dress was expensive- the two walked down the nice, market and storefront area. Heathcliff carried Akeno's bag filled with various pieces of clothing, none he dared to look at, in his free hand. She strolled alongside him, leaning on his arm and tracing his scar as she looked around the storefronts.

"Uh, you feeling like lunch?" Heathcliff asked, glancing at a restaurant. Akeno giggled at him and nodded.

"I could eat. Where were you thinking?" Akeno asked, looking up at Heathcliff as they stopped near a fountain.

"Pft… uh… I dunno. I'm not sure how to pronounce half these restaurant names." Heathcliff admitted, shrugging a bit. Akeno laughed at him and pulled him towards one of them.

"Here, this place is good. Come on." Akeno said with a smile, leading Heathcliff into the restaurant. They sat down and were handed menus. Heathcliff opened his and then blinked at it.

 _Shit… this is some crazy sounding stuff. Lucky for me they made it easy to read._ Heathcliff thought, scanning the menu. A glass of water was set down on the table in front of him and he finally took a moment to look at their server.

 _What in God's fucking name is she…?_ Heathcliff thought as Rias smiled down at them in a very tight maid outfit. He blinked several times before pinching his nose and sighing.

"Welcome to Kizuha Grill. I'm Rias and I'll be your server today. What can I get you?" Rias asked with a friendly grin. Heathcliff looked up and glanced at Akeno. She was blushing and frowning a bit, she perked up and smiled when she noticed him looking at her. Heathcliff grinned back and then grew annoyed behind his menu.

 _Great. How much you want to bet she's been following us the whole time, slightly masking her presence?_ Heathcliff asked in thought, he heard a chuckle.

 _[I have nothing to bet, but if I did then I'd bet everything she was.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff sighed to himself as Akeno awkwardly asked for a cup of tea. Rias smiled wickedly and wrote it down, she then turned to Heathcliff.

"I'm fine with water. But I'd like to have the grilled shrimp appetizer." Heathcliff said with a barely held back sigh. Rias nodded and bustled off to the kitchen. Heathcliff sighed again and reached his hand across the table to Akeno, taking her hand in his.

"Let's try to ignore her. I suppose she decided to follow us?" Heathcliff wondered. Akeno nodded and squeezed his hand.

"Yes. She's either concerned about me or is jealous. I just wish she would've left us alone." Akeno sighed. Heathcliff sighed as well, annoyed with Rias' intrusion.

"I suppose she'll leave us alone if she's satisfied. Or… or…" Heathcliff trailed off with a grin. Akeno quirked an eyebrow and he gestured for her to lean closer.

"We can lose her out in the streets." Heathcliff whispered in Akeno's ear. She grinned and leaned back with a nod. Heathcliff smiled and sipped his water. He accidentally decided to inhale it rather than drink it, so he ultimately started to coughed violently.

"Heath! Are you alright!?" Akeno asked, standing up and leaning over the table to him with concern present in her eyes. He held up a hand and cleared his throat.

"I forgot to drink instead of inhale. Gets me every damn time…" Heathcliff muttered with a cough. He then registered the fact that Akeno was extremely close to him and that her chest was basically in his face. He felt his cheeks flush as he glanced up at Akeno.

"I'm fine, really. Thank you. Don't worry about me, takes more than a sip of water to drown me… Well, I just demonstrated the opposite, but that doesn't matter." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno sighed with a slight laugh and sat back down.

"Try not to drown yourself. That's my job, remember?" Akeno asked with a grin. Heathcliff chuckled and held a hand over his throat.

"Yeah, you'd easily strangle me as you hold my head underwater. Thanks Akeno, I can always count on you to brutally murder me." Heathcliff said, grinning dryly. Akeno laughed at him and shook her head.

"Aw, you make it sound less romantic. I'd let you come up to kiss me every so often, but you'd still be starved of air." Akeno giggled, winking at Heathcliff. He sighed at her.

"Oh, of course. Indulge me before you murder me. Sounds better than I imagined I'd go. I was expecting something along the lines of you punching me in the throat and crush my trachea." Heathcliff said with a dry smile. Akeno giggled.

"Oh my, you're being so violent. I love it." Akeno said with a smirk. Heathcliff blinked in surprise.

 _Uh… does that mean what I think it does? Is she some sadist? Is that why she tortures me? I don't know if I like that… well, if it's balanced with hugs then I'm good._ Heathcliff thought as he recovered from his surprise.

"I think I'm just naturally violent, long as someone gives me a damn good reason to be. Mum never liked how many fights I got into. I somehow came out unscathed. Really weird." Heathcliff stated, scratching his chin. Akeno smiled at him.

"Sounds like she was concerned for her little boy." Akeno said teasingly. Heathcliff blushed and looked away.

"Yeah… Mum's always been there. Through thick 'n thin." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno smiled sweetly at him.

"Does she know you went out today? Or are you a bad boy? If you're being bad then I'll have to punish you." Akeno said with a cheeky smile. Heathcliff shuddered, whether from fear or anticipation, he didn't know.

"Nah… Mum knows where I am. In fact, she was ecstatic that I was going out with you today. I had to tell her all about my own little goddess that I found." Heathcliff said, grinning at Akeno. She giggled and blushed lightly.

"Aw… so sweet. I bet you exaggerated until her head was spinning." Akeno commented with a giggle. Heathcliff shook his head.

"No, not really. I may have exaggerated a bit, but I described you to her and… Needless to say, she was almost dying to meet you. Literally, she wanted to go speeding down the road and up the temple steps. I had to advise against such a rash action." Heathcliff explained with a chuckle as he remembered his mother's reaction. Akeno laughed.

"Oh my, she sounds excitable. I'd love to meet Mommy King. I'd love to discuss how handsome, kind, and caring her little boy is." Akeno said, smiling warmly at Heathcliff. He blushed and grinned.

"Ah… stop it. I'm the least caring piece of shit you've ever seen. Can't even be bothered to give something a glance sometimes… That actually might be because I'm a lazy dickhead." Heathcliff said, scratching his cheek. Akeno giggled and shook her head.

"For someone who's so lazy, you seem to be expending a lot of energy with me." Akeno commented. Heathcliff nodded.

"Well, duh, I do want you to like me, right?" Heathcliff asked with a grin. Akeno giggled again as Rias came back with a cup of tea.

"Here you are. You're appetizer should be out momentarily!" Rias exclaimed with superfluous excitement as she gave Akeno her tea. Heathcliff nodded and she walked away, he turned to Akeno with a grin.

"She looks pretty silly in that, don't she?" Heathcliff asked. Akeno nodded, suppressing a giggle.

"I don't think they had a size to fit her boobs and that huge butt of hers." Akeno said with a giggle.

"Well, if that's the case then I'm sure that none of them will fit your boobs." Heathcliff said without thinking. He then pinched his nose.

 _Goddammit Heath! Why are you such a dope?_ Heathcliff thought as Akeno looked down at her enormous chest.

"Yeah, I doubt it. My bras are super expensive and are usually pretty bland. That's why I usually visit that store we were in, they sell large lingerie sizes." Akeno said nonchalantly. Heathcliff blinked from beyond his nose pinching.

"Oh… I did not expect that." Heathcliff said in surprise. Akeno giggled at him.

"Heath, I don't care if you comment about my body. It's there, there's no denying that. I can comment on yours, can't I?" Akeno wondered. Heathcliff nodded as her statement made sense.

"Yeah… I suppose. It's only logical. Anyway… you mentioned lingerie?" Heathcliff asked with a stupid grin. Akeno blinked at him and then giggled.

"Oh you naughty boy! You just want to know what I'm wearing under this, don't you?" Akeno teased, tugging on her shirt collar. This motion exposed more of her cleavage, making Heathcliff's job that much harder as he blushed.

"Well… I'm not going to stop you from telling me, but that wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I'm genuinely curious what your taste is. I know little to nothing about it." Heathcliff explained. Akeno blinked at him.

"Oh, now I wasn't expecting that. How sweet of you. If you have to know, you pervert… I enjoy the more racy variety of lingerie." Akeno stated, winking at Heathcliff. He felt himself blush again as he glanced away.

"I'm not trying to be perverted… just curious." Heathcliff muttered with a sigh. He rested his arms on the table and hung his head slightly. Akeno giggled and leaned across the table.

"Huh? What-?" Heathcliff cut off when Akeno kissed his forehead and sat back down, leaving her hand on his.

"I know you're not trying to be lewd. I just like teasing you." Akeno said, rubbing his hand. Heathcliff felt blood rushing through his cheeks.

"O-Okay…" Heathcliff mumbled, falling silent. Akeno smiled and continued to hold his hand.

 _Dammit… I feel so vulnerable. Stop it, brain!_ Heathcliff shouted internally as he relaxed with Akeno's touch. She continued to smile warmly and rub her thumb over his hand. It was if she knew it reassured him and made him feel better.

"Thanks… Akeno. I'm happy you understand me." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno smiled at him and patted his hand.

"Of course. Everyone needs someone who understands them. We'll figure each other out. I can't wait to see what little quirks you have so that I can tease you." Akeno said with a cheeky smirk. Heathcliff huffed.

"Course you want that. All I want to know is every little detail about you so that I can weave it into my memory fabric and leave it there for eternity." Heathcliff said, looking deeply into Akeno's eyes. She blushed lightly and gave him a light push on the shoulder. He didn't budge.

"You know exactly what to say to make a girl blush." Akeno said, smiling at Heathcliff. He reveled in her cuteness and cupped her hand in his.

"Every fiber, every layer. Your soft skin, your luscious hair, you're voluptuous body, and of course, your deep violet eyes of pure beauty. All of it ingrained into the fabric of my very being. Every little detail. The way you look into my eyes, the way your hair sways, the way you smile. The little blush on your pale cheeks when I compliment you… Everything." Heathcliff whispered, staring deeply into Akeno's eyes. She blushed a bit more and squirmed in her seat.

"Heath… that's amazing. Thank you." Akeno mumbled, smiling at him. Heathcliff grinned and squeezed her hand.

"I'm gonna make sure of that. Put that up at the top of the priority list." Heathcliff stated as he then noticed Rias returning. It wasn't hard to track the woman as she bustled through the crowded restaurant. She set down a sizzling platter of grilled shrimp of the table and pulled out her order slip.

"Have you decided?" Rias asked with a sweet smile. Heathcliff looked to Akeno and she nodded to him.

"Yep."

* * *

After their quiet lunch- which Heathcliff also paid for- him and Akeno walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand once again. Heathcliff felt Rias' presence start to follow them again, something he neglected to notice beforehand.

"I'm surprised you're walking as well as you are with all that food in you." Akeno commented, leaning on Heathcliff's arm. He chuckled and patted his stomach with the hand Akeno's bag was in.

"I've got a hearty appetite. I got to be careful or it'll go straight to my hips!" Heathcliff exclaimed with a slight feminine tone. Akeno started laughing at him and poked his side.

"Sure it will. Are you sure it won't go to your butt?" Akeno asked with a grin.

"Lord I hope not! Oh no, how's my butt look? Okay? Good?" Heathcliff asked with feigned concern. Akeno laughed at him again and shoved him as he tried turning his rear into her.

"Heath! You're butt's fine!" Akeno laughed as Heathcliff made a fool of himself.

 _I'm going to regret this public embarrassment later…_ Heathcliff thought as he settled down. Akeno giggled lightly as she leaned into his arm.

"I went a little overboard, didn't I?" Heathcliff wondered as people stared at them. They walked along for a ways before finding a bench to sit on.

"You might have. It was still funny, though." Akeno said with a giggle. Heathcliff rubbed the back of his neck as they sat, awaiting their shadow.

"I'm already regretting my stupidity…" Heathcliff sighed as he felt Rias' presence get closer. He noticed a flash of red hair out of the corner of his eye and leaned down to Akeno's ear.

"She's here. Want to make her wait or dash?" Heathcliff asked, leaning his head on top of Akeno's. She thought for a moment before nodding.

"Dash." Akeno said, preparing herself to start running. Heathcliff put his hand in front of her and grabbed her shopping bag.

 _Kiva, you know what to do._ Heathcliff called in thought.

 _[Aye, aye Captain.]_ Kiva responded with a chuckle. Heathcliff sighed and readied himself.

"Now, don't be alarmed, but I'm going to pick you up." Heathcliff whispered. Akeno quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I'm very strong and very fast. Rias won't catch us if I take off." Heathcliff explained. Akeno smiled and nodded. Heathcliff grinned and slipped his arm under her knees and around her back, gripping her firmly.

"Three… two… one… Bingo." Heathcliff whispered. In one fell swoop he lifted Akeno and took off sprinting down an alleyway. Akeno laughed as he sprinted down the alley and turned down another on a dime. He felt Rias' presence jump in surprise and start after them, but Heathcliff was already a long ways ahead of her. He leaped over a small barrier and took off down a deserted street.

Rias' presence stopped for a moment before following again. He was losing her, and fast. Heathcliff grinned as he turned down another deserted alley and found a fence in his way. He found a convenient pile of boxes and slammed one of his boots on a box. He used that as a base and launched himself at the opposite wall. He connected to the opposite wall and pushed off in an easy bound, clearing the fence and landing in a continued sprint.

"Whoa, how did you do that?" Akeno asked, staring at Heathcliff in shock. He continued to breathe through his nose but took a moment to explain himself.

"I did a lot of free-running and such back in Sydney. I even did it with one of my friends on my back. That's why I was able to pull that off." Heathcliff explained between breaths as his muscles steamed and strained themselves. He had amazing stamina thanks to his Synergetic companion, so this was easy for him. His absurd reflexes helped, too.

Heathcliff eventually felt Rias' presence merge into the greater beyond of his sense, meaning he had outrun her completely. He sighed in relief as he skidded to a stop in a deserted street.

"Here we are… milady. Whoa! That was fun!" Heathcliff exclaimed, breathing deeply. He gently set Akeno down and she straightened her clothes.

"Sure was. I'm still impressed with how you jumped that fence. You're just full of surprises." Akeno said, smiling at Heathcliff. He grinned and ran his fingers through her ponytail, straightening the ruffled locks.

"Seems I messed up your hair. Sorry." Heathcliff mumbled as he fixed her hair. Akeno giggled at him.

"It's alright. I figured my hair would get messed up one way or another." Akeno said suggestively, winking at Heathcliff. He blinked for a moment, registering and processing her words.

"Oh… well, I'm not that forward. I mean, it's our first date." Heathcliff said, rubbing the back of his neck and blushing. Akeno giggled and pinched his cheek.

"I'm teasing you. I wasn't expecting you to pound into me on the first date." Akeno said, sticking her tongue out and grinning. Heathcliff gulped.

"Oh… course… Speaking of…" Heathcliff muttered, glancing around the part of town they were in. Akeno looked around and started laughing.

"Oh my! We're in the love hotel district…" Akeno trailed off, glancing sidelong at Heathcliff. He gulped again.

"I did not bring enough cash for this…" Heathcliff muttered. Akeno giggled at him and fell into him, putting her arms around his waist. Heathcliff blinked in surprise but wrapped his arms around her.

"We'll do what we want, when we want. I don't expect you do to as much as you have done already. Thank you, Heath." Akeno muttered into his chest. Heathcliff rubbed her back and chuckled.

"I don't have to be a gentleman? Well, that's not how I was taught." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno giggled again. He loved that giggle.

"Really, Heath. I had a lot of fun today. I can't believe how well we meld together…" Akeno mumbled, staring up at him expectantly.

 _Uh… she seems to be expecting something… Oh?_ Heathcliff thought as Akeno moved her arms around his neck. Heathcliff found his arms around her waist, lifting her slightly. He saw the sun going behind the buildings and wondered.

 _How long was I running? I can't even tell… how long were we in the restaurant?_ Heathcliff wondered as Akeno leaned closer to him. Her nose barely touched his and he grinned.

"Sorry, I'm a little high up here." Heathcliff said as Akeno pouted. He reached down and wrapped his hands behind her knees, lifting her up and placing her legs around his waist. She was now eye level with him as he supported her by wrapping his arms around her.

"Better?" Heathcliff asked with a grin. Akeno smiled and shook her head.

"Oh shut up…" Akeno mumbled as she leaned in, closing her eyes. Heathcliff did the same. His heart pounded, his senses dulled. All that mattered was the woman in his arms, and how her lips started to graze his.

Time stopped for a moment as Heathcliff leaned in. He felt a rush of adrenaline and excitement as he did so.

Then, he captured her lips with his own.

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Boom. This took forever and I'm uploading it before I head down south for the weekend. I'll be back to do my other stories but, I just really wanted to focus on this one.**

 **Anyway, thanks guys.**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.**


	4. He Is Ruthless But Merciful

Chapter 4

He Is Ruthless But Merciful

 **H** eathcliff's grin was nearly ripping the corners of his mouth as he walked home in the dying light of the evening. He had just dropped Akeno off at her temple and was now finding himself slightly wandering in the direction of his home. He wasn't directly going home as his excitement and thoughts from earlier events were rushing through his mind.

 _Holy Christ's shit! I kissed her! Christ, her lips are soft… I could've kissed her all night long…_ Heathcliff thought as he walked. A cool breeze blew through the park he walked in, making him stuff his hands in his pockets. He quirked an eyebrow as the crunch of paper broke his thoughts. He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and unrumpled it.

"When the hell did I stick this in my pocket?" Heathcliff wondered. He looked over the invitation slip that Rias had given him some days prior. He shrugged and placed it in his shirt pocket.

 _Huh… I might've grabbed it on accident for some reason. I think I left it on top of my phone and just stuck both of them in my pocket this morning._ Heathcliff thought as he ended up in the center of the park where the fountain was. He glanced to the side and noted the slash marks and the huge gash in the tree where the previous night's events started.

 _Man… using Combat Morph was a lot of fun… minus the spears flying at me…_ Heathcliff thought as he walked up to the tree, placing a hand on the slash marks he made. He ran his hand over them and inspected the spear-gash in the wood as well.

 _For a little girl, that spear had some serious power behind it. SPEAKING OF!_ Heathcliff thought in alarm as he jumped up into the tree and latched onto a branch. Under him, a jagged, glowing red spear impacted the tree and shattered the whole base of it. Heathcliff leaped from the falling tree and landed in a crouch in front of the fountain, watching as a figure floated into the park.

 _I thought that they were just some fucker crossing the street! Then all of a sudden, here comes a MOTHERFUCKING SPEAR! God!_ Heathcliff thought with a growl. He could feel the malevolent intent from the person as they entered into the moonlight. It was a voluptuous woman in a very revealing, leather outfit. Well, it looked like leather to Heathcliff.

"Oh, look at that! A little acrobat I've got here, hmm? That won't last very long." The black-winged woman said. She smiled evilly at Heathcliff as she wrenched her spear from the fallen tree.

 _She's one of those Fallen Angels like the two who attacked last night… Great. I know how to fuck with you._ Heathcliff thought as he grinned. The woman's smile vanished as she glared at him.

"What's the smirk for? Can't you see you're going to die?" the woman asked in an annoyed tone. Heathcliff smirked some more as he reached his arms out and turned his inside wrist outward. He formed the devil's horns with his hands, aiming his wrists at the bases of trees.

"Am I? I didn't know that, bitch." Heathcliff said as his webbing shot from his wrists and attached to the trees. He then gripped the ropes and pulled as hard as he could to launch himself at the woman. Surprised by his sudden action, the woman took Heathcliff's dropkick to the gut, knocking the wind out of her and slamming her into a tree. Heathcliff landed on the balls of his feet as the woman flew into the woods with a choked cry and slammed into the tree. The plant snapped as the woman flew through it and cracked against the one behind it.

 _Damn. I forgot that I nearly killed a motherfucker by dropkicking him…_ Heathcliff thought as he dashed towards the scene. The woman was slowly rising from her slumped position on the tree as Heathcliff appeared on the trunk of the fallen one with his cheeks puffed up.

"Wait! Heath! Please don't hurt me!" a familiar voice exclaimed. Heathcliff swallowed his combustible spit as the girl, Yumma, sat in front of him now. She was crying on her knees and begging him not to hurt her.

"What the fuck? Yumma? What… OH SHIT!" Heathcliff yelled as Yumma pulled the spear the woman was holding and launched it at him. Heathcliff tried to dodge, but he was just slightly too slow to react.

 _Fuck… she distracted me… sorry, Kiva…_ Heathcliff thought as he felt the searing hot weapon impale his side as he dove off of the tree trunk. It ripped all the way through him as he landed on his back, bleeding profusely. He coughed up some blood, too choked on the substance to scream in pain.

 _Ugh… God… it hurts so much… why does it burn…? Kiva? Kiva!? Can you hear me!?_ Heathcliff called in thought as he groaned in pain. The woman from before now stood over him with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Oh look at that! I was right! How's it feel to be wrong? Dumbass…" the woman said as she reached down and grasped the spear. Heathcliff growled. He wasn't going down so easily.

 _Fucking cunt… You haven't won yet…_ Heathcliff thought as he grabbed the woman's wrist. His entire torso screamed in pain as he did so, pulling himself up slightly. The woman gasped in shock as Heathcliff filled his mouth with his flammable liquid. He spat on the woman, lighting her on fire. She screamed as the liquid combusted on her one wing, forcing her to wrench herself free of Heathcliff, leaving him to hit the ground in pain.

 _Ha… eat shit and die hard… cunt… Kiva! Are you okay! Talk to me little buddy!_ Heathcliff thought. He hadn't heard anything from the creature since the fight started and was growing worried.

 _[H-Heath? Everything is… shutting down! I'm starting the Respawning process… Holy… all of your pain receptors are going wild! I'm shutting them down!]_ Kiva finally responded. Heathcliff felt his pain vanish and he was able to ignore it, standing up and leaning on a tree. His strength was failing. The woman had nearly doused Heathcliff's fire in the nearby fountain and was watching with awe as Heathcliff stood up.

"I'm… a… lot tougher… than you are…" Heathcliff mumbled through the blood filling his stomach and left lung. The spear hit on an upward angle, stabbing through his kidney, internal organs, and out the left side of his ribcage. His heart was also failing as blood poured into him from the rip in the left ventricle. He slowly started to feel his strength fading as he sank to his knees. His blood poured onto the ground around him and increased when the spear randomly vanished from his torso. He slowly fell face-first into the dirt as his senses dulled, destroying his balance. He couldn't feel pain, but he could feel his organs starting to fail and being recycled by Kiva's process.

 _[Heath! Stay with me for a moment! I have to trap your consciousness in a nerve bundle so you don't gain amnesia!]_ Kiva shouted within Heathcliff's mind. He didn't hear the creature, though. His thoughts turned elsewhere as the winged woman spat on him and flew away.

 _Dammit… I thought Akeno was supposed to kill me? Ha… Akeno… I just want to see her again… kiss her again…_ Heathcliff thought. He couldn't help it. It was the first time he was dying, so naturally, his thoughts were turning to the girl he liked.

 _[Heath! Stop thinking like that and listen to me! You'll be able to again! Just listen!]_ Kiva screamed. It was no use as Heathcliff seemed to ignore him.

 _I wish I didn't have to die… it's annoying…_ Heathcliff thought. Kiva made a noise of surprise within Heathcliff's mind.

 _[What!? Never mind! Heath!]_ Kiva yelled again. Heathcliff's thoughts broke as his vision canceled out.

 _Huh? Kiva… little buddy… you've got this, right?_ Heathcliff thought. His movement failed as well, so his lungs stopped breathing.

 _[Wait a second… Something's interrupting my Respawning process! Something else is keeping you conscious! What's happening!? Shit! Senses are down!]_ Kiva yelled in panic.

 _Weird… I can still… kinda smell… R-Rias?_

He blacked out.

* * *

 ** _The Next Day_**

* * *

Heathcliff's senses came back online. His sixth sense let him know someone was directly next to him, and he was also in his room. He could tell because his stuff was placed in a certain way to assure he could find his way around in case of blindness. But he wasn't blind. He opened his eyes to see his desk and closet sitting across the room.

 _[CHRIST! HEATH!]_ Kiva shouted suddenly. Heathcliff cringed at the loud intrusion on his mind.

 _Kiva? What happened?_ Heathcliff wondered. He moved slightly as his sense of touch came back at full force. He noticed something about how he felt.

 _Am I naked? Who the fuck…?_ Heathcliff wondered. He slowly, quietly, and nimbly climbed out his bed, making sure not to disturb the person who was undoubtedly asleep as their presence indicated.

 _[I'm not sure. Something happened and all I could interpret was someone whispering quietly and rubbing the areas where your wounds were. I detected a familiar scent to you as well, but I can't determine it.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff nodded as he stood up and eyed the lump under his covers. He quietly pulled a pair of underwear from his drawers and slipped them on.

 _So, someone familiar is under that blanket? Who could it be? And how did I not die? Clearly, your Respawning trick backfired._ Heathcliff thought as he crept back towards the bed. He crouched before the figure and gripped the covers.

 _[I don't know! I just know something stopped the process and restored your life… or some shit like that.]_ Kiva explained as Heathcliff stood up, ready to draw the sheet back. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for anything. They did smell really familiar, but their sleeping presence obscured who they were, that and his senses were still recovering.

"Only one way to find out…" Heathcliff breathed out, and with a mighty snap of his wrist, he pulled the covers off of his bed. As the blankets fluttered to the floor, Heathcliff froze in shock.

 _[Whoa. I was not expecting that.]_

"What in God's name…?" Heathcliff mumbled. He noticed a spiking pain in his head as the word 'God' left his mouth, but he couldn't be paid to notice it at the moment. Before him, lying completely nude on his bed, was none other than Rias Gremory.

"R-Rias…?" Heathcliff muttered. Utter disbelief set in on his very soul. He could not believe for a second that this was happening. A hundred and twenty questions were flying through his mind, but he only focused on just the one. Rias awoke on his bed and blinked the sleep from her eyes. She sat up and stretched her arms into the air, exposing her large breasts to Heathcliff's unmoving eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing in my bed!?" Heathcliff shouted as his voice came back to him. Rias blinked at him and smiled. She sat on the edge of his bed and sighed happily.

"Morning, Heathcliff. Are you always loud in the morning?" Rias asked with a tired yawn. Heathcliff blinked for a moment as her question set in. He shook his head to get rid of his shock as she stood up.

"What!? I am when you randomly show up, naked, in _my_ bed!" Heathcliff hissed in a quieter voice this time. Rias giggled and walked over to the headboard of his bed. She grabbed her pantyhose and her underwear that was folded neatly on the headboard.

"Oh boy. You're going to attract attention yelling like that. Meet me outside the old schoolhouse today and all will be explained." Rias explained briefly. Heathcliff blinked and sputtered in confusion as Rias dressed herself.

"The fuck? The school?" Heathcliff wondered. He stopped for a moment and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

 _Okay, okay… She wants me to meet her there and she'll explain. Sounds like a fucking plan._ Heathcliff thought. Rias' presence vanished.

"What in Christ!?" Heathcliff exclaimed. The spot where Rias had once been standing was empty. She was no longer in his room. Heathcliff scanned everywhere with his senses for several minutes. He even scanned the edges of his sixth sense, but there was nothing to be found. Rias had literally vanished.

 _Um… what the fuck!? Kiva, do you know what happened?_ Heathcliff thought. He sighed and sat down on his bed.

 _[Well, no. But I did discover something while you were talking to Rias. You have a seventh sense.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff's breath caught in his throat.

 _What? How is that even possible? A seventh? Also… I really want to know how Rias escaped my senses so easily when I can hunt down the fastest beasts with little more than a sniffle._ Heathcliff's thoughts became skewed as he started at the spot Rias had occupied in his bed. The scent was everywhere in his room. Roses.

 _Fucking hell. It doesn't lead anywhere. Her scent stops here._ Heathcliff sighed and leaned back against his headboard.

 _[From what I can gather, the only thing remaining other than her scent is whatever this seventh sense is detecting. Try feeling it.]_ Kiva said as Heathcliff felt Kiva release the sensory ability unto him. He suddenly felt a powerful force sucking inward upon itself in the center of his room, as if a whirlpool had opened. It was not air, nor was it matter of any kind being sucked into the vacuum. More of an energy source.

 _What the fuck? It feels like a vacuum of space, but it only seems to be pulling an energy with it… Also, I'd like to note that this energy is absolutely everywhere! FUCK THERE'S A LOT!_ Heathcliff thought in alarm as the pure force of his seventh sense sent him reeling. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself as he adjusted to the new sensation.

 _It… It's flowing. I can feel it. It's all over, but it flows. Up, down, sideways, if it can even go sideways. It's even going… through me? I can't seem to capture it very well, but other people around me seem to have it stop inside them. Also, this vacuum where Rias was standing is slowly fading. Like its pull is done._ Heathcliff thought. He reached out with his hand and felt the area. His other senses didn't pick anything up, but this seventh one was able to tell exactly where it was and where it condensed with someone or on something.

"Heathcliff, are you up?" Heathcliff's mother called from downstairs. Heathcliff sighed, shaking his head to clear it and got up to open his door.

"Yeah," Heathcliff responded as he opened the door. His mother then walked away from the staircase, satisfied. Heathcliff then walked back into his room.

 _Alright… I ought to get ready. Shower… shave… shit… find Rias._ Heathcliff thought. He strode around, gathering his clothes. A black t-shirt, dark grey jeans, a blue and black flannel and put his socks next to his boots. He went and took a shower and got ready in, and as he exited the bathroom back into his room. He tied his boots on, slipped his phone and wallet into his pockets and down the stairs he went.

"Heathcliff. You came in a little late last night. Everything go okay?" his mother asked as Heathcliff entered the kitchen. He stopped briefly to smile at her.

"Uh, yeah! I even got a kiss." Heathcliff said with a confident grin. His mother giggled and smiled at him as he raided the fridge for a moment.

"Aw, my little Heath is all grown up. Going on dates, going to school regularly… We've got it made here, don't we, kid?" Heathcliff's mother asked as Heathcliff exited the fridge with an apple. He closed the appliance and grinned solemnly. She smiled sadly.

"Yeah… Mum… We sure do." Heathcliff responded. He knew she was thinking of his father. Heathcliff stepped forward and kissed the top of his mother's head.

"Poor bastard can't escape you, even in death. Hopefully, the Lord's keeping him company with some beer and rugby until we get there." Heathcliff said as he walked by his mother. He felt her smiling at him as he bit into his apple and headed for the day.

"I'll be at the school with some friends. I think I'm joining a club. I'll see you later, mum." Heathcliff said with a wave as he opened the door and headed out into the street. His mother waved back before he left. Heathcliff grinned as he walked down the street.

 _Yeah… we're sure making it here, Pop._

* * *

Heathcliff sat silently, motionlessly, and daringly high in a tree next to the old schoolhouse on the Kuoh campus. He watched the building silently, feeling the presences within. They all felt the same kind of off that Akeno and Rias did. But they were a slightly different off from the woman the night before. Heathcliff could _feel_ it.

 _Weird… one, two… three, four… F-Five? Why is it so hard to pick out that fifth one? Ah, whatever. When's Rias going to come outside so I can meet her…? Huh?_ Heathcliff looked down and noticed someone move towards the window. The shutters were flung open, and there stood Rias, her red hair catching the breeze that blew through. The leaves around Heathcliff fluttered slightly as he watched Rias look around, obviously searching for him. When she was done and sighed in disappointment, she walked away from the window. Heathcliff grinned.

 _Say… windows are fun._ Heathcliff thought. He grinned and leaped from the tree branch with quiet dexterity. He landed on the window sill silently and took a seat on the sill, looking out across the field.

 _Now we await the perfect moment._

* * *

"I don't get it… we should be able to tell when he gets here. He's my Pawn, I should be able to sense him." Rias said as she sat down on the couch in the classical room. Akeno handed her a cup of tea.

"Thank you…" she sighed. Akeno smiled and sat with her.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry. Heath's a very straightforward guy. He'll let you know when he's here. I'm half expecting him to kick the door in any minute." Akeno said with a light giggle. Koneko sat down across from them. The white haired girl stared blankly at Akeno.

"You seem really fond of this guy. Is it cause he's from Australia? I hear they're all insane down there." Koneko said. Akeno shook her head at Koneko.

"No, not just that… But the accent is cute. Heath is extremely sweet and kind hearted. But I get the feeling that masks a ruthless man underneath… and that thought is just so… exciting…" Akeno said with a light blush. She giggled to herself. Rias sighed as she sipped on her tea.

"Ruthless… indeed. He nearly roasted that Fallen Angel alive… how, I do not know. I hope he'll explain once we explain ourselves." Rias said. She took another sip of her tea but nearly choked when a man chuckled behind her. Akeno, Koneko, and Rias stood up abruptly to face the figure in the window. He sat, taking up most of the opening where Rias had just been standing.

"A King once told me… 'A man must be ruthless to win, but be kind to live.' He was filled with all sorts of cheesy quotes." A familiar, Australian accented voice said. Rias sighed, Akeno giggled, and Koneko stared blankly at him.

"Heathcliff… what…?" Rias trailed off, palming her face.

"What? Surprised?"

* * *

Heathcliff grinned at the three girls as he stood up into the room. The ceiling was rather close to his head, something he wasn't too fond of. Heathcliff rolled the sleeves of his flannel up and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I waited outside for about an hour, Rias. Were you expecting to get the drop on me? Cause that doesn't happen." Heathcliff said. He grinned wildly as Rias set her tea down and walked up to Heathcliff. She went around him and closed the window.

"RIAS! Is everything alright!? I heard a disturbance!" A blonde boy exclaimed as he rushed into the room, slamming the door open. He glanced at Heathcliff, then to Rias who stood next to him.

"Yes, Kiba. Everything's fine. Heathcliff's here." Rias said as she walked back to the couch. Kiba looked up at Heathcliff and smiled.

"Oh, hey. I'm Kiba Yuuto, I'm with this club. I've seen you around, you're the talk of the school." Kiba said, reaching out to shake Heathcliff's hand. Heathcliff grinned and grabbed his hand, shaking it vigorously.

"Nice to meet ya. Heathcliff King, Professional Australian." Heathcliff introduced himself jokingly. Kiba chuckled a bit.

"It's a profession being Australian? Sounds like a lot of work." Kiba commented. Heathcliff nodded as they broke their shake.

"Yep. You've got to be able to shotgun a beer in under ten seconds and run a rugby ball at least fifteen yards afterward. The rest is pretty easy, aside from fighting the dangerous and wild creatures. Crikey, they're tough!" Heathcliff exclaimed as he went through the stereotypical Australian mode and back out. Akeno, Rias, and Kiba laughed at his terrible jokes. Koneko was more… stoic. So much so that she was starting to creep him out as she kept staring at him.

 _Crikey… she's weird. If meowing at a monster in a tree wasn't weird enough…_ Heathcliff thought.

 _[Quick question. Why do you keep thinking you're a monster?]_ Kiva asked suddenly. Heathcliff stopped for a moment as he decided to lean on a wall across from the group. He stayed near the window, for safety purposes.

 _Well… I'm still human, but I am a beast when I use your power. An intelligent beast, but a beast nonetheless. Get it? Humans like to distinguish themselves from animals._ Heathcliff explained in thought. He heard the Synergetic hum for a moment.

 _[I see… But I can't see much of a distinction because of what you went through back in Australia. If you ask me, they were monsters more than any actual monster.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff stopped breathing for a moment. The words that he heard from the alien hit him like a train. His mind ran the words over once more.

 _They were monsters… y-you're right…_ Heathcliff blinked a few times and regained his composure. Heathcliff had never had such a thought. He never really saw people like he saw the crocodiles and imaginary beasts. But Kiva, he saw things the way they were.

"So, Heathcliff. Since you're here, I suppose we can get started." Rias said, pulling Heathcliff from his thoughts. He nodded at her words, crossing his arms as he leaned on the wall.

"Yeah. Should I ask my questions, or do you already know how to answer them?" Heathcliff asked. Rias glanced at him from beyond her teacup and smirked.

"Of course I do. Well, to answer the one you certainly have upfront… When you died last night, I resurrected you per your request. That paper I gave you, summoned me at the uttering of your request, and from there I brought you back. To answer your second question of how I did it, it is because I'm a Devil. A Demon. From Hell." Rias explained. Heathcliff blinked at her. He was about to respond, but stopped and thought for a moment.

 _Uh… Devil? Demon? Hell doesn't… What?_ Heathcliff's thoughts brought him no closer to sense than Rias' words did. She smiled, standing up and facing him as he tried to make heads or tails of her words.

"Now… hold up. First off, that's bullshit. Hell is theoretical, it's not even mentioned in the Bible. Sinners face death, God's followers face eternal life through Jesus Christ, the Lord. Even if Hell _was_ a thing, I doubt you'd be able to fly under the radar for this long without being found out." Heathcliff said. Rias giggled at him. She snapped her fingers and Heathcliff's senses went wild.

 _What in God's name…?_ Heathcliff thought as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Everyone in the room stood up. Without warning, other than Heathcliff's instincts going off the rails, black, demonic wings sprouted from everyone's backs. All of them. Even… Akeno.

 _By God… Jesus Christ, Lord Almighty… What the_ fuck _is this!?_ Heathcliff's eyes widened. They locked onto Akeno who looked away shyly and smiled. Heathcliff's sixth sense was telling him weird things and his newest sense hit the metaphorical fan. It went wild, sensing energy everywhere that flowed from the people before him. Heathcliff reacted the instant he felt his senses peaked and leaped up, slamming his boots onto the edges of the window opening and sitting there in a crouch. He was ready to flee at a moment's notice. His muscles tightened and his eyes flickered between each person in the room.

"Oh, that's new. I didn't know you could do that, Heath." Rias said, seemingly ignoring his adrenaline-fueled state of fight or flight. Heathcliff watched her warily as she took a step forward.

 _[Heath! Something's happening!]_ Kiva exclaimed as two sudden spikes of pain hit Heathcliff on his back. He cringed slightly and growled as a similar pair of black wings burst from his back as well, not even tearing his clothing. He blinked momentarily as a realization hit him harder than a freight train.

 _What the fuck…? Am I like them? Why do I have wings? Kiva…?_ Heathcliff wondered. He glanced at the flying mechanisms for a moment before turning his head back to Rias who had stepped closer.

"Huh, they took longer to appear than I thought they would." Rias commented. Heathcliff took a moment to calm down and jumped down from the window. His sixth sense was telling him everything was okay, his seventh was telling him that the energy was running through him into his weird, demonic wings.

"What the fuck? Wait… wait… So, if you're a demon… and you resurrected me, does that mean I'm a demon?" Heathcliff wondered. Rias smiled at him as he glanced at the wings once again.

"Yes. You're my Pawn. We Devils have a whole society and ranking in the Underworld. We live in secret beside humans, or… whatever you are." Rias said with slight uncertainty. Heathcliff nodded as he started to accept whatever was happening as truth.

 _[Well, I ran some diagnostics and tests… Seems whatever energy the seventh sense picks up now runs through you. It's also the source of your wings. Actually… it runs through your DNA itself. Your DNA format has also changed. You have fully human characteristics aside from my bolstering of said characteristics, but you have an affinity for this energy and an odd ability to condense it within yourself. Seems like there's a well of some kind. I'll do some more tests on your body to see what I've found.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff sighed as he listened to his partner's diagnosis. Seems Rias was telling the truth.

"Alright… So, if I'm a Devil… what does that mean?" Heathcliff wondered. He watched as everyone's wings disappeared in an instant, at the same time he felt his vanish into him, almost as if they were never there. He shivered at the feeling.

"That means you work for me now, and you're able to use magic now without much practice. Don't worry, I have a lecture planned for you to learn everything. For now, I'd like to know how you just stuck to the wall as if gravity didn't exist." Rias said, poking Heathcliff in the chest. Heathcliff hung his head.

 _Dammit… I gave myself away too quickly._ Heathcliff thought with a sigh. He leaned back on the wall and took a deep breath.

"Alright… only seems fair. Well, what you just saw was the work of a symbiotic relationship between me and another creature. Said creature is known as a Synergetic and can only survive when bonded to another living organism of the animal variety. Let me demonstrate my non-morph abilities." Heathcliff said. He grinned as everyone watched him with curiosity. He jumped and slammed his hand on the ceiling, which was another six feet from his head. His hand stuck to the ceiling and he hung there for a moment before flipping up and planting his feet on the ceiling. He stood up… or down, technically, and grinned at everyone staring in awe at him.

"The Synergetic's name is Kiva, and he's my best friend. He's been bonded to my flesh for over seven years since I found him in a meteor crater in the Australian outback." Heathcliff explained. He glanced at Akeno, in particular, to see her narrow her eyes at him. His grin turned sheepish.

"Yeah… before you say anything, Akeno, this is how I leapt that fence and jumped off the wall." Heathcliff said. Akeno smiled at him.

"I figured… I doubted a normal human could accomplish such a feat with such little effort. Your excuse was pretty valid, though." Akeno said. Heathcliff sighed as she didn't get upset with him. He wiped his brow and crouched on the ceiling.

"Oh, so that's how you avoided me on your date. You used your crazy powers to outmaneuver me." Rias said with an angry sigh. Heathcliff chuckled at her.

"Wait, date? This is the guy you were talking about, Akeno?" Koneko asked, turning to Akeno. She smiled and nodded to the small girl.

"Seriously…? Okay… He isn't that cute." Koneko said monotonously. Heathcliff's eye twitched in annoyance as she insulted him.

 _What the fuck!? What's with this girl?_ Heathcliff thought as he ground his teeth. He was crouching on a ceiling and all this girl had to say was that he wasn't cute. Koneko continued to stare, her visage void of expression.

"Jeez… Least I'm not going around meowing at monsters in trees." Heathcliff responded, a cocky grin on his face. Koneko continued to stare at him, but her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as she picked up an end table with one hand.

 _Oh shit… I forgot she's unusually strong…_ Heathcliff thought as Koneko whipped the end table at him. He caught the furniture piece by its leg with one hand.

"I knew it! You were that creature who fought off those Fallen Angels!" Rias exclaimed, startling everyone in the room excepting Heathcliff. He sighed as he dropped from the ceiling and set the end table on the floor. He stood up as Rias grinned in victory at him.

"Yes, I was. That was my Combat Morph. Scary, isn't it?" Heathcliff asked as he went back to leaning on the wall. Koneko was still glaring at him, which he simply ignored since he had years of practice doing such.

"I thought it was rather terrifying. I could see why those Fallen Angels took off running. What exactly is that form for, other than being absolutely terrifying?" Rias asked, crossing her arms under her bust. Heathcliff sighed, glancing at Akeno momentarily. She seemed curious as she smiled at him.

 _Man… her smile is so calming…_ Heathcliff thought. He took another breath as he stood up and turned towards the window.

"It's as the name implies. It's for combat purposes. It transforms me into a faster, stronger, and more nimble adversary for my opponent. I can endure more attacks, feel less pain, use my fire breath better and create swords to use in combat. I should probably explain Kiva as a creature a little bit more for this to make sense." Heathcliff stated. He pulled his shirts up and gestured to the small, black mass on his back that pulsed with small, electrical signals.

"Kiva is just a bundle of nerves with the ability to manipulate organic matter or any matter that can be found in an organic creature. He can only see, hear, smell, taste, think, store memories, and communicated through my nervous system. So, to talk to me he sends thought signals to my brain that creates a literal voice in my head. It's hard to explain, really." Heathcliff explained. He lowered his shirt and turned to see if everyone understood him. They didn't seem to be confused so he nodded to himself and leaned on the wall again.

"That's how he works. Why he works that way is because he's an Organic Assassin Type Synergetic. There are three varieties of Organic Synergetics, Assassin, Juggernaut, and Soldier. Assassins are faster, stronger, and a lot more deadly than a Soldier. Juggernauts are incredibly strong and resistant to attacks, making them a force to be reckoned with. The only thing is that Juggernauts are very cumbersome in their Morphs. A Soldier is basically a medium between the Assassin and Juggernaut, averagely strong, pretty nimble and durable. When bonded with a human these Synergetics become incredibly powerful. I was already pretty strong for a human, but as you've seen, I can achieve the impossible." Heathcliff explained, taking a deep breath as he finished. Everyone nodded in understanding. Akeno raised a tentative hand, as to ask a question.

"Uh… yes, Akeno?" Heathcliff said, slightly confused as to why she raised her hand. Akeno giggled at his reaction and lowered her hand back to clasping the other in front of her.

"So, Kiva can hear and see everything happening right now?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff nodded to her.

 _[HI AKENO!]_ Kiva yelled in Heathcliff's head. A spike of pain shot through his brain at the powerful stimulation.

"Ouch… ya bastard… Yes, Kiva says hi… loudly, too." Heathcliff grumbled. Akeno giggled at him.

"Hi, Kiva." Akeno responded. Heathcliff heard the creature chuckle and sighed. He rubbed his temple as the pain faded away from his mind.

"So when we talk to you, we're technically talking to two people?" Kiba asked. He had been silent until this point, which Heathcliff thought was curious.

"Well… Yes and no. To rest his nerves Kiva sometimes cuts off his connection to my senses. His nerves are always hyperactive, so he sometimes rests." Heathcliff explained. Kiba nodded at the answer and fell silent once more.

"That means you don't need him to function, right?" Rias asked. Heathcliff turned his eyes towards her and nodded.

"Right. When he bonded to me he bolstered my senses to an extreme beyond normal human capabilities. You all can sense magic and whoever is around you through said magic, right?" Heathcliff asked. Everyone nodded to him and he grinned.

"That means you all have a total of six senses. Taste, touch, sound, sight, smell, and magic sense. I have seven senses. Taste, touch, sound, sight, smell, magic, and Presence Sense." Heathcliff explained. Rias quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Hold on, I can sense presences as well unless someone hides it. What's the difference?" Rias asked. Heathcliff's grin widened as he closed his eyes.

"Blindfold me." Heathcliff ordered. He felt everyone become confused around him. Rias shrugged and went over to find a cloth. She walked back over from the desk at the far side of the room and reached up, tying it around his eyes.

"Alright. Now, Kiba, I want you to come over here and try to punch me in the face." Heathcliff said, turning towards the boy. He felt Kiba grow even more confused, but he shrugged and walked over. His footsteps were like falling boulders on the hardwood floor for Heathcliff as he strolled over. He stopped two paces from Heathcliff and raised his fists. He felt Kiba's fist raise and start towards his face. Heathcliff ducked the blow with ease before it even neared his head. Kiba gasped and stumbled forward, allowing Heathcliff to grasp his overreached arm and twist it behind his back. He used his free arm and wrapped it around Kiba's neck, holding him in an arm-lock.

"Ah! How did you do that!?" Kiba exclaimed as he struggled against Heathcliff's iron grip. Heathcliff grinned and released him.

"Like I said, I have seven senses. Koneko, since you seem to hold some dislike of me, why don't you try to kick me or something? Surprise me." Heathcliff said as he gently pushed Kiba out of the way and faced Koneko. He swore he could feel a small smile appear on the girl's face as she approached him. As she neared him, her footsteps were just as strong, if not stronger than Kiba's. She stopped at about the same distance Kiba had been from him and took a fighting stance. Heathcliff calmly stood there, awaiting her attack. She jumped and spun in midair.

"Too slow." Heathcliff said with a chuckle as he ducked a powerful kick aimed for his head. Koneko growled and tried to bring her fist down on him as she fell. Heathcliff took a casual step back and felt Koneko stop as she landed on the floor with a powerful shudder. Everything calmed as he felt her glaring at him from beyond the blindfold. Rias and Akeno were still watching with surprise as he simply dodged Koneko's attacks.

"I've never seen anyone dodge Koneko so easily. You can just sense whenever and wherever she attacks?" Rias wondered. Koneko threw a punch at Heathcliff's gut and he casually sidestepped her attack, but she anticipated his step and threw a roundhouse kick at his legs. Heathcliff hopped over the blow and felt Koneko's leg sweep under him. When he landed he had to lean out of the way of a side kick from her.

"Yeah, pretty much. Presence Sense works like a three-dimensional map in my head. I can feel your eyes watching me, your nose inhaling, and your heart beating. Actually, turning me into a Devil boosted my Presence Sense. I wasn't able to distinguish things so precisely before. Now I can make out things exactly, everything was… blurry before. I could still dodge as easily as I am now, but now I can feel Koneko's hand clenching tighter every time she misses and her glare getting stronger as well." Heathcliff explained. He sidestepped another kick and caught Koneko's fist in his hand. He felt her fist impact his hand and he cringed.

 _Ouch… her punches are stronger than any I've ever encountered._ Heathcliff thought as he flipped her away from him by her arm. She landed on her feet, continuing to glare heatedly at him. Rias stepped in front of Heathcliff and reached up, removing the blindfold. He blinked a few times as his sight came back to him.

"You're basically undefeatable. That's amazing." Rias said, eyeing him up and down. Heathcliff sighed, shaking his head.

"Clearly I'm not. I did get stabbed. And I nearly died." Heathcliff said with a chuckle. He sighed as he remembered the event, a phantom pain shot through his torso at the thought.

"Right. So, all it takes is a little distraction and you're just as vulnerable to attacks as anyone else. Huh. Well, this has been… informative. I guess now is a good time as any to start our club activities." Rias said as she walked back over to her desk. Heathcliff blinked, slightly confused as to what Rias was talking about.

"Say what?" Heathcliff wondered. Everyone settled into a seat on the couch as Rias leaned on the front of her desk. Akeno patted the seat next to her for Heathcliff to sit down in.

 _Uh… Well, I suppose I should listen to her… She did say I worked for her now… But it'd be easy to outrun her. She doesn't seem to be able to sense me without seeing or hearing me…_ Heathcliff thought. He contemplated his options as he slowly walked to the center of the room.

 _But… if I run off then I won't learn what all this demon shit is about._ Heathcliff thought as he sat down on the couch. As he settled into his seat, he let himself relax.

 _Damn… I didn't know I was so tense… Eh, I shouldn't be surprised, this is a lot to take in._ Heathcliff thought. He let out a relaxed sigh as he let the comfort of the couch envelop him. He felt Akeno's hand slide onto his and grip it. He glanced at her, noticing her light blush and her smile.

 _Shit me some bricks… I got so caught up in all this I completely forgot about our budding relationship. Ugh… God, that phrase just makes me cringe. 'Budding relationship' Bleh, it just sounds so weird._ Heathcliff thought as he weaved his fingers into Akeno's, enjoying the soft warmth of her hand. His muscles tightened as he felt someone glare at him. He glanced at Rias out of the corner of his eye, noting her stare.

 _WHY!? Why is she glaring at me? Wait, is she… Jealous? No. Fuck no. That's bullshit. Impossible. Wait a second… I just realized… Kiva, does everyone still feel off to you?_ Heathcliff thought. He heard a startled grunt in the back of his mind.

 _[Huh? Oh, no. Everyone feels normal. The humans three thousand meters out feel weird, though. All these Devils feel normal-ish.]_ Kiva answered. Heathcliff nodded to himself without actually moving.

 _Huh, everyone still feels different from humans, but more… familiar? Weird… Must be because I'm one of them, now._ Heathcliff concluded. He then turned his attention to Rias who cleared her throat.

"Alright. Heath, as Devils we help those who call upon us. Seems dumb, I know. But, as lower ranked Devils, this is our duty. We hide under the guise of the Occult Research Club, but we're actually not researching anything. We go out at night and help those who need it and when we're called upon. To get out word out we pass out flyers, such as the one that summoned me to your dying form last night." Rias explained. Heathcliff nodded, though not wholly understanding what she meant.

"Wait, why are demons acting as people's fucking fairy godmothers?" Heathcliff asked with a straight face. Rias blinked at him and Akeno started containing a laugh next to him.

"I… I never thought of it that way…" Rias muttered as she realized the truth in his words. Akeno giggled some more and Heathcliff chuckled.

"I mean really, you're over here granting the wishes of people like Tinker Bell, but they're praying to demons. Where in Hell does that make sense? I thought when people made deals with the Devil they got screwed over? Not handed a magic wand! POOF, your wish is granted!" Heathcliff exclaimed with a laugh. Rias started giggling at him as he over exaggerated his reaction. Kiba even chuckled at him. Koneko was just staring emotionlessly at him, which still bothered him to no end.

"As true as it seems, we're not quite like that. It's just what we do as low-ranking Devils. Many Devils that outrank us have less embarrassing work to do. Until we can attain a higher rank, this is what we do on Earth. It's also what you do, now. Every night after school." Rias explained, turning around and grabbing a bag off of the desk. Heathcliff quirked an eyebrow.

"Wait what?" Heathcliff wondered. Rias threw the bag at him and he allowed it to smack into his face and land on his lap. He flipped it open and saw the stacks upon stacks of small slips of paper within.

"Fuck."

* * *

Heathcliff sighed as he stood in the middle of a street between hundreds of people trying to hand out the flyers Rias threw at him an hour ago. He had a thousand of them and had to hand out all of them.

 _Motherfucker… just take a flyer…_ Heathcliff growled as he tried to hand someone a flyer with a smiling façade on his face. He was three flyers in. Three.

 _Okay… I see how it is… How about this… How many handbags have you seen so far, Kiva?_ Heathcliff asked as he turned to the wall behind him. He heard Kiva hum.

 _[Hundreds. I wasn't really counting. Oh, I see what you mean.]_ Kiva said with a chuckle as Heathcliff folded the flyer. Once he was done the flyer was now a paper airplane.

 _Oh yeah… now… little bit of skill and…_ Heathcliff turned and aimed the paper construct. When the moment was right and they weren't watching, he threw it forward and stuck it in the open pocket of someone's hand bag, nice and snug.

"Fuck yeah… This'll be easier than feeding a koala."

* * *

For hours Heathcliff stood in the center of the street he was posted at, folding flyers and tossing them into stranger's pockets, hand bags, and backpacks. At the end of the fourth hour, Heathcliff had one flyer left. He lifted it out of the bag, noting how the street was now less populated than it had been earlier in the day. The sun was nearing the treetops as he folded the last flyer and scanned his target range. He spotted someone with a large pack, someone he supposed was a hiker back from his hike. Heathcliff raised his airplane and aimed.

 _Time to end this little game._ Heathcliff launched the flyer. He watched with anticipation as it glided towards the man's pack. It did a flip. Two, actually, and stuck in the rolled up sleeping bag atop the pack. Heathcliff clenched his fist in victory as it stayed in place on the man's pack. His mission completed, Heathcliff grabbed the empty bag and started back towards the school.

 _Fuck… that took too long. I better not have to hand this shit out all the time, my hands are tired from folding paper airplanes._ Heathcliff thought as he walked down the darkening streets of Kuoh. He noticed something as he walked, a sudden feeling that made his instincts kick in and the hair on the back of his neck raise up.

 _Oh boy. Time to jump._ Heathcliff thought as he quickly leaped into the air. A glowing spear flew underneath him, catching the strap of the bag he was carrying. The bag was wrenched from his grip as the spear flew by, but he paid it little mind.

 _There, the woman with the… blue hair? The fuck?_ Heathcliff wondered as he spotted the black winged woman who was forming another spear. He was still in midair when he reacted to his attacker. Heathcliff reached out and fired a web at the building next to the woman and pulled himself towards her, feet first. His sudden change of movement threw her off enough for him to release his web and slam his boot into her shoulder, violently throwing her down the street. Following up with his counterattack, Heathcliff fired a web at her as she continued to fly and pulled when he connected with her. She was wrenched back towards him, and he towards her. He spun and connected the heel of his right boot to her temple in midair, knocking her into the wall next to him.

 _Teach her not to throw spears at people._ Heathcliff thought as he landed and approached the groggy, groaning woman.

"How's my boot feel? Steel toe." Heathcliff said, tapping his foot as he stopped next to her.

"F-Fuck you… how…?" The woman groaned. Heathcliff grinned as he reached down and started wrapping his web around her. He bound her all the way down to her feet, but he couldn't put it around her large chest very well, so he left it unbound.

 _It looks like a BDSM outfit._ Heathcliff thought with a chuckle as he finished tying his web around her and releasing it from the junction of his wrist.

"L-Let go of me!" the woman demanded. Heathcliff shook his head as he lifted her to eyelevel by his web.

"Now why the fuck would I do that, huh?" Heathcliff wondered sarcastically. He chuckled as he casually tossed her over his shoulder and leaped up onto the rooftops in an easy bound.

"I hope you like interviews. Well, I'd say it's an interrogation- Oh, she's unconscious." Heathcliff said, realizing the woman had passed out. He chuckled as he started leaping across rooftops and swinging from taller ones by a web from his wrist.

 _I think I hit her too hard. Whoops._

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **There you are. Took me awhile. School's a bitch, work's a bitch, and writing takes awhile.**

 **Anyway, thanks guys.**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.**


	5. And His Mercy Is Divine

Chapter Five

And His Mercy Is Divine

Heathcliff sighed as he climbed up the side of the old school house with only one hand. His other was occupied with holding the tied up woman whom he had knocked out only minutes ago. She was relatively light for him, but that didn't matter when one was climbing with only one hand for balance purposes.

 _Y'know… she's got huge tits, but they're the heaviest things on her…_ Heathcliff thought as he shrugged his shoulder for a better grip on his webbing. He soon reached the top window and knocked on it quickly, as to not lose his balance. He senses Rias get up and walk over to the window, opening the shutters and looking down at Heathcliff.

"Delivery for Rias Gremory. A Fallen Angel!" Heathcliff exclaimed sarcastically, tossing the woman into the window. Rias quickly stepped out of the way of the body as Heathcliff soon followed his payload. Rias narrowed her eyes at Heathcliff, the universal look that demanded an explanation. He smiled at her as he propped the woman up against the wall.

"She tried to kill me on my way back from handing out those flyers. I kicked her a few times and tied her up. I thought we could question her or some CSI shit like that." Heathcliff said as he stood up and leaned against the wall. Rias nodded at his explanation, eyeing the woman curiously.

 _I always thought Pop interrogated people, but he mainly defended them. I suppose this chick can tell us why her kind keeps trying to kill me of all people. Go kill a dictator or some shit, not my sorry ass._ Heathcliff thought as Rias examined the woman. Akeno walked into the room at that moment and Heathcliff smiled at her.

"Hey. Guess who tried to kill me this time." Heathcliff said with a half grin. Akeno quirked an eyebrow, but smiled at him. She thought for a moment, putting an arm under her bust, attracting Heathcliff's eyes for a split-second.

"Hmm… A Fallen Angel?" Akeno guessed. Heathcliff nodded, gesturing to the woman who was still unconscious.

"Yep, but this time I whooped ass. Well, I think I kicked her in the boobs, but it doesn't matter." Heathcliff said with a laugh. Akeno's eyes widened as she walked over and glanced at the woman. She then turned back to Heathcliff, eyeing him up and down.

"But, you're okay, right?" Akeno asked. Her smile was replaced with a concerned expression, making Heathcliff's heart explode.

 _She's… concerned?_ "Uh… yeah… Thanks. I'm quite alright." Heathcliff answered with a slight grin.

"I rarely get injured anyway, and the only reason I nearly got killed is because I was tricked. I wouldn't worry about me too much. It'll give you a heart attack." Heathcliff added with a joking smile. Akeno shook her head and stepped towards him, putting her soft hand on his forearm. Heathcliff's heart skipped a beat.

"Don't be so cocky. I was really worried when Rias was called away because you nearly died. Those Fallen Angels are terrible, so please be careful." Akeno said with a serious expression. Heathcliff's grin faded as he nodded solemnly.

 _Huh… She's really worried. I can't believe it. But… Oh man, I've never had anyone besides Mum worry like that._ Heathcliff thought as he slowly placed his hand over Akeno's. She glanced at his eyes and he smiled again.

"Course. I do remember something about you killing me, so I can't die yet." Heathcliff said. Akeno smiled and shook her head at his jokes.

"You're so silly." Akeno said with a giggle, squeezing his hand. Rias stood up and turned to Heathcliff, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I also worry about you, Heath. You're a part of this Peerage now, and that makes you important to me. So, whatever you need, I'm here." Rias said, smiling warmly at Heathcliff. Heathcliff himself felt a weird mixture of emotions. He was giddy and excited about Akeno paying attention to him, but he was also slightly confused and unsure of how to respond to Rias's sudden attention.

 _Uh… What's happening?_ Heathcliff wondered. He glanced back at Akeno to see her smiling darkly at Rias, as if she had just offended her deeply. Heathcliff sucked in a quick breath when Akeno's grip got stronger and Rias put her other hand on his chest.

"Uh… Thanks Rias… uh… um…" Heathcliff mumbled as Rias and Akeno smiled at each other with hidden malevolence behind their expressions. Rias slowly started to pull Heathcliff into a hug, one he was not prepared for. He was also unprepared for when Akeno put herself under his arm and held onto him.

 _Uh… WHAT THE FUCK!? What's happening? Is there some shit I'm not in on, but involved in? I don't like being involved in shit I was not informed about!_ Heathcliff thought as he awkwardly stood between the two women.

"Rias, I'm sure Heathcliff appreciates the concern, but I'm here in case he needs anything." Akeno said after the moments of silence. Rias giggled, pushing Heathcliff's arm deeply into her bust, making him blush.

"Oh, how sweet. But Heathcliff is my Pawn and I have to take care of him, so you don't have to worry yourself over him." Rias responded. Heathcliff could _feel_ the sass of their words. He was extremely uncomfortable, but not opposed as Akeno moved to rest his wrist on her chest.

 _Oh fuck… don't tempt me… please don't. This is really tough._ Heathcliff thought, flexing his arm to freeze it. He did try to move it, but Akeno didn't seem to want him to, so he left his arm where it was. He dared not move his other arm for fear he would regret any aftermath of what could happen. So, Heathcliff remained where he was, stuck between a soft girl and another soft girl.

 _The only rock and hard place is in my pants…_ Heathcliff thought as he tried to retain his sanity. He decided to preoccupy himself by monitoring the woman in the corner by using his Presence Sense to feel for her consciousness to return. That seemed to be his only saving grace at the moment.

 _When her heartbeat picks up is when she'll wake up… I think._ Heathcliff thought as Akeno and Rias started another heated conversation between him. Over the years, he had learned how to 'disengage' one of his senses and in this case, Heathcliff didn't focus on any sounds. He only focused on the feeling of his Presence Sense.

 _Any moment now…_ Heathcliff's breathing became controlled and paced as he focused. He was good at focusing when he wanted to.

 _Ah, there she is._ Heathcliff thought, glancing at the woman who slowly stirred in the corner. Rias noticed his glance and quirked an eyebrow before nodding in understanding. She finally released Heathcliff and stepped over to the Fallen Angel who groaned in pain.

"She's awake…" Akeno muttered, releasing Heathcliff. He nodded and stood behind Rias, trying to look as intimidating and ominous as possible by towering over Rias. He felt Akeno step behind him and place a hand on his back, it felt reassuring to Heathcliff.

"H-Huh…? Who're you? Where did that-!" the woman started speaking and looked up, but cut off her sentence with a sharp inhale when she noticed Heathcliff looming over her. Rias smiled wickedly.  
"Hi there. What's your name?" Rias asked. The woman glared briefly at Rias, but quickly lost the attitude when Heathcliff growled.

"Answer the question. Or do you like the taste of boot that much?" Heathcliff asked, tapping his foot slightly. The woman groaned in annoyance and looked at Rias with a blank expression.

"I'm Kalawarner." Kalawarner answered with a sigh. Rias nodded.

"Alright, Kala, can I call you Kala? Don't answer that, I'm going to anyway. So, Kala, who do you work for?" Rias asked, twirling a strand of Kala's long hair. The Fallen Angel growled, but hers was outclassed by a venomous rumble from Heathcliff.

"Speak." Heathcliff demanded. He felt a rubbing on his back and took it as a sign he was doing well as the intimidation factor. Kala sort of glared at him, but his was twice as intense because he had quite the reason to be angry with her.

"A powerful Fallen Angel named Kokabiel." Kala answered, looking at Rias again. Rias nodded, but Heathcliff felt her mood dampen.

 _What? When could I sense emotional changes? Must be from the Devil power boost-y thing._ Heathcliff thought. He heard a chuckle from inside his mind as a silence set over the scene.

 _[Yeah, it is. Know what else is cool?]_ Kiva said, breaking his hours-long silence. Heathcliff hummed internally as a response.

 _[I found out a spell of kinds that you can cast. I was playing with the sense that can catch magic and figured this out. It works in conjunction with the_ _ **Combat Morph**_ _in a sense. Try saying 'Blades of Hell Spawn' and pull on the seventh sense.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff blinked as he felt his seventh sense and did indeed have the ability to push and pull the energy around. Though he could only control the energy already within him.

"This is bad. Kokabiel is a very powerful Fallen Angel." Rias said, standing up next to Heathcliff. He nodded to her, but he wasn't exactly sure what she meant.

"Uh, what's that mean for us?" Heathcliff wondered. Rias turned to him with a serious expression.

"Fallen Angels, Angels, and Devils are supposed to be at peace. If a Fallen Angel is conducting something sinister in our territory, it could mean war." Rias explained. Heathcliff nodded, still confused, but less confused at the same time.

 _So… big bad Fallen Angel wants a war. I wonder if he'll want a war after I kick him in the throat._ Heathcliff thought as he kneeled down next to Kala, getting uncomfortably close to her.

"What's this… Koko dude planning? Or whatever his stupid ass name is." Heathcliff stated, lifting Kala by her chin to look into her eyes. She shivered in his grasp, something he found odd.

"He wants war." Kala said without much coaxing from Heathcliff. He nodded and released her, but she seemed upset that he did.

 _Alright, ignoring the weird shit… This bastard wants to start a war between, like, three factions. I'm on one side of this equation, so this applies to me. How do I combat him if I have no idea where he's at? I should ask her that… huh?_ Heathcliff turned to see Akeno watching him intently after his thoughts concluded. He could _feel_ her annoyance, but with what, he did not know.

"Okay… So, where's Koko at? He hiding in a Macca's or some dumb shit?" Heathcliff asked Kala. She didn't answer at first, so Heathcliff cracked his knuckles and grabbed her by the side of her head.

"I don't know! I really don't…" Kala said immediately after Heathcliff grabbed her. Heathcliff found it odd that she only answered him when he touched her, though it might be a fear factor since he had hit her pretty hard back on the street. He gently released her, and even fixed her hair slightly.

 _She really does seem scared. No sane man hurts a defenseless lass._ Heathcliff thought, letting his soft side for women show as he continued to fix her hair.

"Sorry… I don't actually want to hurt you. Not unless you've got your fists up." Heathcliff mumbled. Kala blinked at him, whether in shock or confusion, it mattered little to him at the moment. He annoyed himself for acting so roughly.

"Wow… Heathcliff is just a softie with a hard exterior." Koneko said as she entered onto the scene. Heathcliff had felt her coming some thousand meters or so ago when she was outside, but he didn't really care. He gave her a sidelong glance of annoyance before returning to Kala's hair.

"It's just not in my nature to be real mean unless I've got good reason. You're another story, though." Heathcliff jested towards Koneko. The girl ground her teeth at him and huffed, going to sit on a couch. Kala giggled and everyone excluding Heathcliff glanced at her with mixtures of shock and curiosity.

"What? He's funny." Kala said, pouting and leaning into Heathcliff's hands as he was now just playing with her hair. He didn't really care what he was doing anymore, he just kept going. His conscience told him he was repenting for his earlier actions, so that is what he was doing.

"You've got smooth hair. It's a cool color, too. Reminds me of the midnight sky when the Aurora Australis comes around, shining blue and other colors around the dusty outback. Adding to the delicate, yet powerful beauty of Australia." Heathcliff said, loosing himself in his own mini-speech. Kala was staring at him, and Akeno was glaring at him.

 _Huh… I didn't really think I'd say that. I also didn't think about saying that… I probably shouldn't have done that. I was going to reserve myself to Akeno… Shit._ Heathcliff stopped what he was doing when his thoughts uncovered a revelation. He just complimented a totally different girl, and on top of that, one Akeno didn't like.

"Well, uh… I didn't… um, I didn't mean to say that… I just kind of… did. I mean… uh…" Heathcliff muttered as he avoided looking into Akeno's eyes. He could _feel_ her stare. It was intense and filled with anger. He could also feel Rias's stare, though it was more shock than anything, but also…

 _Huh? Why is Rias smiling?_ Heathcliff wondered, looking at Rias briefly. She was indeed smiling, but it was a very sly smile. It made Heathcliff nervous, if he could get any more nervous than what he already was. Heathcliff stood up and turned to Akeno, only to have her turn away and walk out the doors of the clubroom. Heathcliff turned to see Kiba standing in the doorway with a confused expression. He gave Heathcliff a curious look, but Heathcliff shook his head and bolted past Kiba with silent steps.

* * *

"Akeno! Wait! Please!" Heathcliff called as Akeno walked straight outside towards the school and then turned towards the front gates. The cool night air cut through his shirt as he ran. Akeno didn't stop walking, so Heathcliff had to improvise.

 _Alright… Plan B._ Heathcliff thought as he launched a web at the top of the school, using it as a leverage point while he jumped and swung himself into the air. He landed on the wall of the school, his web quickly decomposing after he detached it from his wrist. From the wall, Heathcliff ran a short distance before leaping off and down several meters in front of Akeno. He landed on one knee, hitting the ground rather hard and nearly cracking the concrete as Akeno stopped in front of him.

"Akeno… I… I know I messed up but, please hear me out." Heathcliff said, taking a quick breath. Akeno stared down at him, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Look, I… I like you… a lot. I really do-" Heathcliff started.

"Then why'd you compliment that… Fallen Angel?" Akeno interrupted sharply. Her tone made Heathcliff flinch while he kneeled, staring at his fist on the pavement. He sighed.

"I don't know. All I know is I shouldn't have because that would mean I wasn't as interested in you. But, I want you to know that I would do it all the time whenever I talked to a girl. I just started talking. I… I never wanted to upset you. Not in a billion lifetimes." Heathcliff explained. He took a breath, hoping he wasn't sounding like he was making excuses. He hated making up excuses.

"But you did. What's so great about that woman? Also, why should I believe that you just 'did it'?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff flinched again. He wasn't enjoying her tone. It made his heart ache.

"Then… don't. I'm sorry. I just felt… I know she tried to kill me… and you don't like her for that, or for whatever reason. But, what I did… what I never want to do, and by God if I'm lying, strike me down. But I never want to hurt a helpless woman. Not even if it would save my life. Not even if it would've saved Pa's, cause I know he'd never want me to." Heathcliff stated, a tear forming in his eyes. He inhaled sharply, holding back his emotions. He wanted to kick himself, for whatever reason, he didn't know. He felt Akeno's stare lose its power, and she took a few steps, stopping in front of Heathcliff. She crouched down and put her hands under Heathcliff's chin, lifting his eyes to hers. He couldn't look at her.

"Heathcliff… please look at me." Akeno whispered. Heathcliff took a shaky breath, clearing his eyes of tears he didn't know he had with a quick blink. Then, he moved his azure eyes into Akeno's violet ones.

 _Oh God…_ Heathcliff thought. His emotions dulled into calmness, and his senses returned to him, as he had unknowingly blocked his feeling of them. Akeno smiled, rubbing his cheek gently and combing his hair with her other hand.

 _She's so calming. Why, though? This is the weirdest thing… but amazing._ Heathcliff thought as his mind hardened. His soul rested. His body… grew powerful.

"You're forgiven, Heathcliff. You silly, sweet boy." Akeno said as she slid her arm around Heathcliff's neck. She pulled him into a hug, crouching in front of him. Heathcliff felt himself smile, and he put his arms around Akeno's waist. She giggled as he slowly stood up, bringing her with him and holding on tight as he dug his nose into the nook of her neck. He inhaled deeply, bringing in her sweet scent. So light and delicate that he would've never noticed how much he liked it if he hadn't been breathing it in now.

 _So, she's just lavender all over? And her own special scent as well. Whatever… she smells amazing._ Heathcliff thought as he tightened his grasp around her. He barely took note of her heavy breasts as they pressed into his chest. It was of little concern, but it did make him blush slightly.

"Thanks… Akeno. It means a lot. More than you could realize." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno rubbed his back and caressed his neck. He sighed deeply, and slowly set her down when she wiggled in his grasp.

"Hey, whoever said to let go?" Akeno asked, pouting through her smile at Heathcliff. He blushed, scratching his chin in thought.

"Uh, I thought you wanted down." Heathcliff mumbled. He smiled too, unable to control his excitement and relief. Akeno shook her head and reached her arms out again. Heathcliff obliged and picked her up about the waist, but this time she put her legs around his waist. Heathcliff nearly stumbled, but caught himself as Akeno did this. She giggled, leaning back slightly and narrowing her eyes playfully.

"Actually, I wanted to play just a little." Akeno whispered, leaning her head against Heathcliff's and sticking her tongue out at him. Heathcliff chuckled, closing his eyes as Akeno grazed her lips over his. She smiled once more, then pressed forward.

 _Oh, oh God…_ Heathcliff thought momentarily before losing himself in Akeno's softness. Her lips pressed to his, they exchanged movements, and held each other tightly. They kissed calmly, but Heathcliff was getting antsy and started kissing her more aggressively. Akeno fought him back with equal vigor, and Heathcliff was surprised when he found her tongue prodding at his lips. He allowed her to stick her tongue in his mouth, and both of them moaned slightly when their tongues intertwined. Heathcliff found himself trying to dig his tongue deeper into her mouth, and even found his hand tangling itself in her hair and the other slowly sliding down her back.

"Oh!" Akeno exclaimed, breaking their kiss. She looked down to see Heathcliff's hand grasping a handful of her butt. Following the arm up to its owner, she narrowed her eyes and smiled as Heathcliff sheepishly grinned. He slowly let go of her butt and slid his hand back up to her back.

"Naughty, naughty, naughty…" Akeno teased, drawing circles on Heathcliff's chest with her finger. He blushed, and groaned lightly.

"Sorry… I… I shouldn't have…" Heathcliff trailed off when Akeno's finger was placed on his lips. She shook her head and slowly leaned in, moving her finger and pecking his lips.

"It is no problem at all, but no more play time." Akeno said, climbing off of Heathcliff. He sighed in disappointment, releasing Akeno from his grasp. His arms felt empty.

 _Dammit… I suppose I should be happy she didn't just strangle me._ Heathcliff thought as Akeno started off towards the schoolhouse without him. He sighed again and followed, shoulders slumped. Akeno stopped, making Heathcliff glance at her curiously. When he approached, she turned and pushed her hand against his stomach, groping his muscles.

"Akeno… what in the hell?" Heathcliff wondered with a grin as Akeno stopped grabbing him.

"There, now we're even." Akeno said with a playful smile. She pinched Heathcliff's cheek and turned, walking off with a bounce to her step. Heathcliff smiled, rubbing his cheek where Akeno pinched him.

 _Damn… now she's really got me hooked._

* * *

Heathcliff climbed through the window once more, confusing Kala who still kneeled in the corner. Heathcliff grinned at her, sticking his hand on the wall and lifting himself off the ground, horizontal to the floor.

"I'm pretty cool." Heathcliff said, dropping down silently. Kala nodded with an interested expression. Heathcliff then leaned on the aforementioned wall and glanced over to Rias who sat at her desk with a contemplative countenance. He glanced back at Kala, who seemed to do the same to him, but she looked to be shifting a lot.

 _She looks really uncomfortable…_ Heathcliff thought as he stood up. Akeno had walked in the same moment he had, and had gone back to speak with Rias. Heathcliff paid little heed to much aside from his focus on Kala. She gulped as he approached, and even smiled through trepidation.

"Hey, you okay? You look uncomfortable." Heathcliff said. He felt stupid, feeling concern for someone who attempted to kill him. But, Heathcliff was nothing if not courteous.

"Um… I am, but why do you care?" Kala asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Heathcliff sighed, kneeling down in front of her.

"Pop always taught me to be polite to girls. No matter if they hated me… or tried to kill me. Though, I don't think he expected anyone to actually try to kill me." Heathcliff said with a lighthearted chuckle. Kala giggled, then stopped abruptly and blushed, turning away from Heathcliff. He grinned.

"Hey, it's alright. So, what would it take for you to be comfortable?" Heathcliff asked, checking the knots on his webbing. Kala blinked at him with disbelief.

"Uh… well, I'd like to be untied. I know you won't-" Kala started, but Heathcliff stood up, making her stop her sentence. He grinned, and lifted his fist.

"Say no more. **Blade of Hell Spawn."** Heathcliff said, focusing his seventh sense and pulling on his abilities that Kiva had granted him. The result of the spell was an obsidian blade more than a half meter long that jutted from the joint of his wrist on the back of his hand. The blade was Mahogany Obsidian and was smooth with a double edge.

"Oh, now that's sweet." Heathcliff said, examining the blade. Kala blinked in astonishment, a feeling that only increased when Heathcliff expertly slashed her bonds off in a clean swing.

"HEATHCLIFF!" Rias shouted, noticing the action. He turned around and shrugged.

"What? She was uncomfortable. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her till you figure something out." Heathcliff said with a casual wave of his hand. Kala stood up, stretching herself and smiling at Heathcliff.

"Thanks…" Kala said. Heathcliff lifted his wrist blade up, making her cringe.

"No problem, but no sudden moves. Or, I'll tie your wrists up. I could also cut you." Heathcliff said with a serious expression. Kala nodded, relaxing slightly.

"You saw how easily I dodged your attacks. You move, I'll know." Heathcliff said, retracting his blade with a snap of his wrist. Kala nodded once more and stayed extremely still while he turned and walked towards Rias.

"Heathcliff… why are you so nice to her? She tried to kill you!" Rias shouted. Heathcliff nodded, but also shrugged.

"Yeah, but she's not all that bad. If she's smart, she won't move." Heathcliff said as he picked a pen up from the desk and whipped it behind him. It stuck in the wall next to Kala, making her yelp. She stared in shock at Heathcliff as he shook his head, not even turning around.

"I told you not to move." Heathcliff said, pointing at Kala's foot. She nodded and slid her foot back next to the other. Heathcliff grinned, thanking Kiva for the sixth sense he possessed.

"Well… I suppose…" Rias muttered. She was impressed by Heathcliff's power, so she let Kala's release slide.

"Now, we have no idea how to stop Kokabiel, seeing as how Kalawarner does not know where he is… But while you were gone, she did explain that her superior, a Fallen named Raynare has a sinister plan in store. The plan will benefit Kokabiel, something we can't have happening. For now… I don't know what to do with Kalawarner until we can figure out what to do. I'd like to call it a night so I can think, but…" Rias sighed as she trailed off. Heathcliff nodded as he listened. He continued to check his Presence Sense, making sure Kalawarner didn't move. Then, an idea came to him.

"Rias, Kiva can monitor all of my senses and surrounding while I sleep. He's been resting for a while, so I'm sure he can make sure of Kala's security while we all rest. I can watch over her." Heathcliff explained, making Rias raise an eyebrow at him. Akeno gave him a look, one he wasn't sure of what it meant. He also felt Kala's eyes behind him. Her heart rate increased.

"Good idea, Heathcliff. Take her back to your house and monitor her. She will stay with you, but she is not free from our suspicions." Rias said, making Heathcliff blink in confusion. Before he could speak, Akeno chimed in.

"No. I don't trust her. I don't want her near him at all." Akeno said, shooting a glare back at Kala. The woman glared back, but Heathcliff intervened before any words were exchanged.

"Now hold on, I never said she could go to my house! What would my mother think!?" Heathcliff exclaimed, thoroughly confused about the proposition. He crossed his arms and furrowed his brow in annoyance.

"I'll handle that. Akeno, Heathcliff can handle himself. I'm sure of it. Now, this discussion is over. Let's go, Heath. Get Kalawarner." Rias commanded, getting up and walking around the desk. Akeno groaned and Heathcliff put a hand on her shoulder with a sigh.

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be just alright." Heathcliff assured her. Akeno smiled at him one last time before he turned and went to fetch Kala.

 _I'll be damned if I let anything go awry. You got my back, mate?_ Heathcliff called to his partner. He heard a laugh in his mind.

 _[Course I do. Always have, always will, forever till the day we die.]_ Kiva answered.

 _Forever, till the day we die._ Heathcliff repeated as he approached Kala. The woman was fidgeting nervously as Heathcliff approached, but settled down when he gestured for her to follow him and they caught up with Rias outside.

* * *

"Heathcliff, I'm trusting you with this task. Keep watch of this Fallen Angel, and if she gives you any trouble, you have the authority to execute her." Rias said with a dead serious expression. Heathcliff nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"I don't think death will be necessary. I'll do my best. Meet you at my place, since I assume you know where it is." Heathcliff said, and Rias nodded. He turned and reached an arm out to Kala. She was reluctant to approach.

"C'mon, you're with me. We're taking the express lane." Heathcliff said, stepping over to Kala and putting his arm around her waist. Rias waved as Heathcliff shot a web at the top of the school with his free hand and pulled.

"Wait! What!?" Kala exclaimed as Heathcliff pulled them into the air. He landed on the side of the building and pulled Kala closer to his side, as not to drop her.

"I know you can probably fly, being like that other woman who did kill me, technically, but you're my responsibility now. So you're building hopping with me." Heathcliff explained as he walked up the side of the school. Kala put her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, making Heathcliff slightly uncomfortable. He wouldn't protest, though, because her breasts on his side were a nice bonus.

"What are you?" Kala asked, looking at him incredulously. Heathcliff chuckled and licked his finger. His spit set ablaze, but it did not harm him.

"A symbiotic being." Heathcliff answered as he crossed the edge of the roof and stopped when they were standing upright. Kala nodded, but continued to grip Heathcliff tightly.

"Now, which building is closest?" Heathcliff wondered. He scanned the area, noting how the school had very few buildings as tall, or taller, near it. He spotted a tall building about a block away and considered his options.

 _Well, Kala is relatively light, though her tits are huge and heavy. I'm about… a hundred kilos. My web will hold, but I don't know if it will shoot that far… Might as well try._ Heathcliff thought, walking to the edge of the school roof and reaching his arm as far as he could he fired off a web. It crested for a good distance before starting to fall. Heathcliff grunted in annoyance.

"Looks like your… goo… doesn't have enough power. Have you tried to magically enhance it? I use some magic to help me throw spears." Kala said, looking into Heathcliff's eyes and getting extremely close to his face. Heathcliff shook his head.

"No, didn't think I could do that. _Kiva, pal. What do you think?_ Heathcliff finished his thought internally. He heard a hum.

 _[Should work. Do what you did for the obsidian sword. You know.]_ Kiva advised. Heathcliff nodded to himself, looking at his inner wrist. He glanced at Kala, noting how she smiled and then batted her eyelashes at him.

 _What the fuck was that about? Alright, whatever… Magic enhance, eh?_ Heathcliff thought as he focused his senses. He could feel Kala's heart against his side, and her hand as it traced the muscle contour of his neck. He also felt his magic, it flowed and stayed within him. He pushed it to his hands, and grasped at his power. He aimed, and fired a web. It shook him as though he fired a shotgun, making him stumbled back slightly. But he was amazed as the web flew across the open plain, and stuck on top of the building he was aiming for.

"Huh. That worked. Alright, get on my back and don't strangle me." Heathcliff said, pushing Kala around him. She giggled and hopped onto his back, tightly wrapping her long legs around his waist.

"Of course. I won't strangle you, unless you want me to…" Kala said suggestively. Heathcliff blinked in confusion, and glanced back at her.

"What? What the fuck? Why would I want to be-?" Heathcliff cut off when his mind caught on to the suggestive message. He shook his head and sighed.

 _Oh God, no. I'm not into not breathing. Alright, let's go._ Heathcliff thought as Kala squeezed his waist. He chuckled and leapt off the building, making Kala yelp as he coasted down, gripping his web with both hands. The connection of the web to the other building pulled him up, keeping him from crashing into the ground as he swung them into the air with ease. He went back up, and landed feet first on the building with Kala burying her face in his shoulder. He chuckled again and started running. He reached the edge of the building and jumped, landing on the building just next door.

"You're alright. I'm taking all the impact and I know where to go." Heathcliff said as he jumped to the next building. Kala lifted her head, noticing how fast he moved even with her on him.

"Wow, am I even slowing you down?" Kala wondered. Heathcliff chuckled, and was thankful she couldn't see him blush.

"You aren't, but it's hard to focus with you on my back." Heathcliff said, his increased senses allowed him to feel everything. Even how Kala's soft breasts grew a small, hard bud on each as he ran through the cool night. This feeling indicated the fact that she was not wearing a bra.

 _Jesus Christ, how are her tits not sagging so much!? HOW!? They're almost as big as Akeno's! FUCK!_ Heathcliff thought anxiously. Kala caught onto what his phrasing referred to and pressed herself against him, running her hand across his chest.

"Well, you see Heathcliff… Fallen Angels are meant to be extremely… erotic creatures. So, I don't blame you for feeling as you do. Blame us as a species, but try not to hate us. The only reason I'm working for Kokabiel is because he'd kill me otherwise, though I don't think he knows I was captured. But I'm sure he'd be wary to approach a wild beast like you who's guarding me." Kala explained, placing a kiss on Heathcliff's neck. He shivered, not due to the cold air. Kala giggled, being able to feel his muscles ripple. She kissed his neck again, and Heathcliff skidded to a stop atop a house's roof.

"O-Okay… I don't know why you're acting like this… but stop. I'm trying to have a relationship with the one girl you saw. So, please don't… uh, just stop." Heathcliff said, turning to glance at Kala. She pouted at him.

"Aw, come on. Which one? The redhead? The tall one? C'mon, I can do twice as well as either of them have. I'm a few years older, yeah, but I've got something they don't have…" Kala said, she didn't seem to heed Heathcliff's words and kissed his neck again. This time, though, Kala left her mouth on his neck, sucking and biting his skin. Heathcliff sucked in a quick breath, feeling his knees buckle. He dropped down to one knee, shivering in pleasure and groaning as Kala continued her ministrations.

 _H-HOLY FUCK! Okay! This needs to stop! Now! I-I have a girlfriend!_ Heathcliff exclaimed in thought. He managed to grab Kala and easily pulled her off of his back. She yelped in surprise as he set her down in front of him.

 **"Blades of Hell Spawn."** Heathcliff said. A blade of obsidian jutted from each of his wrists and he held them up, making Kala cringe back.

"Stop. Now. I don't know what you're trying to do… Actually I do, but I don't know if you're intentions are good or not. So stop. Now. Right this moment." Heathcliff demanded seriously. Kala nodded at him, but she lowered her head and put her hands in front of her which simultaneously pushed her breasts forward.

"Okay… I'm sorry… But I'm not trying to be bad. Well, I am, but not evil bad, just bad. You know, naughty. It's in my blood. Kind of." Kala explained, fidgeting slightly. Heathcliff shook his head and his blades vanished into his wrists.

"Whatever. Just stop. I'm feeling like a dingo in traffic and I'm not liking it. Fuck, I need a beer… And none of that American piss water that Zeb brought down to Australia… Yuengling or whatever." Heathcliff muttered as he walked over to the edge of the rooftop. Kala slowly followed him and he crouched down, pointing to a house several blocks down.

"I'm just up the road. Let's go." Heathcliff said as he put his arm around Kala's waist. She held onto him again and he jumped to the next rooftop, continuing towards his house.

* * *

"Welcome to my humble abode. Don't break anything. You can stay in the guest room. Stay here." Heathcliff said, closing the door on the guest bedroom next to his in his house. He turned and headed down the staircase where he made his way into the living room. Rias was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea. Heathcliff's mother walked in from the kitchen and smiled when she saw her son.

"Heath! I was just speaking with Rias here! She's such a sweetheart and is she sounds like a good friend to you! She was just explaining how her father is the chairman of the school board and actually wants to invite us over for dinner some time! Oh, I could go on!" Heathcliff's mother exclaimed, kissing her son's cheek after much effort to reach his face. Rias laughed, sipping on her tea as Heathcliff sat on the arm of the chair his mother sat in.

"Caroline explained how she's been trying to keep up since you moved from Australia. Sounds like you guys have had it rough. I've just been waiting to meet Mister King since I've heard so much about how he's influenced you." Rias said, smiling warmly. Heathcliff glanced at her, and felt his heart sink. Caroline started to slump in her seat, and Rias noticed the difference in their demeanor. She set her tea on the coffee table, and Heathcliff sighed. He gripped his mother's shoulder and she held his hand.

"Rias, James King, my father, died last year in a car accident. God called, and Pop answered." Heathcliff explained solemnly. Rias stared at him in shock. She stood up and walked over, kneeling down in front of Caroline.

"I'm sorry for your loss… He… He sounded like a great man." Rias said, hugging Caroline. Heathcliff stood up and walked over to the doorway, leaning on it heavily. He clenched his fist and cleared his mind. He inhaled a deep breath, noticing a scent wafting down the stairs. He checked his sixth sense. Kala had moved.

"Just like I told her not to… Rias, Mum, I'll be upstairs." Heathcliff said,turning around the corner and leaping up the stairs.

* * *

"Ah!" Kala exclaimed in surprise when Heathcliff landed on the ceiling in front of her. He dropped to the ground and stood up with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. She smiled sheepishly and waved slightly.

"Hey… Sorry about your dad…" Kala mumbled, fidgeting under Heathcliff's gaze. He sighed, losing his ominous presence and annoyed expression.

"Thanks… But I told you to stay in the room. If you don't listen to me, I think Rias is going to make me execute you, and I don't want to do that. Now then, off to your room. I need to get some shuteye. Be warned, I'll still be watching." Heathcliff said, walking past Kala to his room and heading in. He checked his sixth sense to make sure she was in her room before taking most of his clothes off and collapsing into his bed.

 _Keep watch little buddy._

 _[I will, friend. I will.]_

* * *

 **The Next Day…**

* * *

Heathcliff awoke, just as he had that faithful day a whole week ago. Tired, groggy, and unashamed of his annoyance of waking up early. He sat up in bed, but with much effort as his senses came back to him full force and he registered why he needed so much effort.

 _[Hey Heath, I may have not been paying attention for like, thirty seconds, and uh…]_ Kiva's voice was lost to Heathcliff as he stared down at the weight on his chest. It was Kala, and she was naked. Also, she was lying on him.

"What the fuck, Kiva!?" Heathcliff hissed, unsure of whether or not he should move Kala. He looked around, noting how the clothes he haphazardly threw off of him were in his hamper and Kala's were folded neatly on his nightstand. His hearing picked up footsteps. His mother was coming.

"Shit!" Heathcliff hissed as Kala kept sleeping on him. He heard Kiva laugh and cursed at him internally. His door clicked as the footsteps stopped.

"Morning Heath! Ah, I see Kala made herself comfortable! Don't worry, Rias explained everything and I got to say, I'm happy to let Kala stay here since Rias said her father would cover her expenses and some of ours to boot! You ought to let more pretty girls stay here, huh!?" Caroline exclaimed in a hush. Heathcliff stared at her in shock, completely confused about why his mother was being so giddy about the situation.

 _WHAT!? WHAT THE FUCK!?_ Heathcliff screamed internally. He stayed motionless as he awaited Kala's awakening. His mother just continued to smile, as if her son wasn't being straddled by a woman she barely knew.

"Hi Heath! Sorry I didn't catch you before you knocked out last night! I hope Caroline's told you about Kala's arrangements, right?" Rias asked as she popped into Heathcliff's room behind his mother. Heathcliff blinked at her, unsure of how he missed her entering his home.

 _Oh yeah, cause I'm distracted by the NAKED WOMAN ON ME!_ Heathcliff screamed in his mind. Kala stirred just then, blinking sleep from her eyes and smiling up at Heathcliff.

"Morning, handsome. Oh, morning you guys!" Kala said, sitting up and smiling at Rias and Caroline. She moved her chest off of Heathcliff's, exposing her enormous breasts to the air. Heathcliff sucked in a quick breath, trying his best to not stare. He kept his eyes on his wall and blocked out whatever conversation was happening at the moment.

"Uh, I think Heathcliff has stopped working. Kala, you should get ready for school." Rias said, noticing Heathcliff's lack of responsiveness. Kala nodded, kissing Heathcliff's cheek and getting up.

"Let me know when he recovers." Kala said as she left the room, still nude. Caroline giggled and Rias shook her head, slightly exasperated. After a moment, Heathcliff came back from his extreme focus.

"JESUS CHRIST! WHAT THE HELL!?" Heathcliff swore as he jumped out of bed.

"Heathcliff Robert King!" Caroline shouted. Heathcliff settled down and bowed his head.

"Sorry, mum… But seriously! What the hell?" Heathcliff asked, leaning on his bedframe. Rias giggled and walked over, picking Kala's clothes up off his nightstand.

"She's staying here. She's agreed to go to school here and has sworn not to betray us or flee from us." Rias whispered. Heathcliff nodded, but she still left him slightly confused. The look in her eyes was one he picked up on.

 _I suppose she'll explain more, later, without Mum here._ Alright… alright, I'm going to get a shower. I'll see you later, Rias." Heathcliff said as he gathered his school clothes and headed for the bathroom. He sighed, closing the door and leaning on it.

 _Dear Lord what have I gotten in- ouch… Why did my head suddenly start hurting?_ Heathcliff thought, rubbing his head. With another sigh he took his underwear and t-shirt off, hopping into the shower.

 _Fuckin' hell, Kiva… You could've woke me up._ Heathcliff thought as he let the hot water rush over him. His companion chuckled in his mind, but gave no answer. Heathcliff sighed, annoyed that the alien didn't answer him. He decided to ignore it and focused on his senses and his shower. He needed practice with focusing his enhanced Presence Sense.

 _What is Kala doing?_ Heathcliff wondered as he noticed the bathroom door opening. He turned slightly to see the door slide open and Kala walked in, still naked.

"Good God, woman! What are you doing!?" Heathcliff exclaimed, thanking God his waist was still surrounded by a towel. Kala smiled at him as he focused on her eyes. She sauntered over, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder.

"I thought I could… wash your back. Kind of as a thank you for letting me stay here and all…" Kala said suggestively. Heathcliff shook his head and slapped his palm over his face.

"N-No… just… no… I'm fine. Just, wait until I leave the shower." Heathcliff said with exasperation as he sat down on the shower seat. Kala went to move towards him, but he held his hand up indicating he did not want her to move closer.

"Just go, please." Heathcliff stated wearily. He was losing his patience and he didn't like that. Kala sighed, pouted, and then left him alone in the shower.

 _Oh, God… Oh lord… What the fuck, bro?_

 **.**

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 **There we are. I figured you guys deserved a long one. Hope you like it.**

 **Thanks guys.**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.**


	6. He Is Our Caesar

Chapter Six

He Is Our Caesar

Heathcliff exited the shower, dressed and drying his hair. He fixed it into its usual position, noting how it was getting longer. He had yet to spot a barber in his town, though he suspected he'd find one eventually. He checked his surroundings. No one besides his mother resided in the house now. He shrugged, popping into his room to put his boots on. He jumped down the stairs, catching himself on the inclined ceiling before he smacked into the floor so he could let himself down gently.

"Took you long enough. You actually got up early, get going. I've not a second to prepare breakfast, so here's a protein bar." Caroline said, handing Heathcliff a wrapped bar as she bustled past him. She grabbed her purse off of the counter and started pushing him towards the door.

"Alright. Well, see you later mum." Heathcliff said, pecking his mother on the head and grabbing his bag. He jumped out the door, dexterous as ever, and took off down the street.

* * *

Heathcliff was taking his usual path to school. It happened to cut through a park. He had about an hour to blow before school, oddly for him, since he never got up on time. He noticed someone rather peculiar. She wore a certain outfit that Heathcliff recognized.

 _A Catholic nun? Odd, I thought the church here was run down and unused? Seems not. That's pretty good… But I don't think it's good to be Christian when I'm a devil… Aaaand she fell down…_ Heathcliff stopped himself short of chuckling when he saw the poor girl trip and take a tumble, knocking her suitcase open. He felt concern just then and walked over, towering over the girl. She sat up, her head covering falling off. She was a beautiful blonde girl with green eyes. A rare combination, especially on someone so beautiful.

"Whoa there, you okay Sister?" Heathcliff asked, reaching his hand down to help her up. The girl smiled, accepting his hand and he pulled her to her feet with little effort.

"Yes, thank you kind sir… Wait, are you a student?" She asked, suddenly noticing Heathcliff's outfit. He nodded, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, hard to tell with us foreigners. I'm least a foot taller than anyone here. Seriously. You stand out pretty well yourself, know that?" Heathcliff said with a kind smile. He stepped to the side quickly and caught her head covering as it started to blow away. She gasped at his sudden speed as he did so, returning it to her.

"Wow! You're fast! Thank you." The girl said, receiving her headwear. Heathcliff smiled, stuffing his hand in his pocket.

"Eh, no problem. So, you're bringing God's holy word to this town?" Heathcliff asked. The girl smiled, touching the cross on her chest. Heathcliff felt a twinge of pain spike through his head once more at the word 'God'. The cross glared unusually bright in his eyes.

"Well… funny thing about that… I can't seem to find the church for this town... could you show me the way?" the girl asked, poking her fingers together. Heathcliff grinned and nodded.

"Surely. Let's get your things picked up. Wouldn't want you to lose anything." Heathcliff said as he picked a few articles of clothing off the ground. The nun was surprised when Heathcliff didn't bother to wait for her and had already cleaned everything up.

"Whoops. Guess I'm a little faster than I realize. Here you go." Heathcliff said, holding her suitcase out to her. She smiled, accepting it, the weight wasn't much for Heathcliff but she seemed to struggle with it.

 _Eh, why not._ Heathcliff then took the suitcase back, lugging it over one of his shoulders with ease.

"Oh, thank you for carrying that. It is kind of heavy…" the nun mumbled, blushing slightly. Heathcliff grinned as he took a few steps forward.

"Not a problem. Church's this way, milady." Heathcliff said. She smiled once more and started following close to his side. He checked his senses, pulsating out the furthest distance he ever could before. His Presence Sense was able to stretch several kilometers now, allowing him to pinpoint locations and areas of interest from a great distance, much further than before. Though, he could feel it get blurry when it went somewhere between five and six kilometers. He could also feel the nun's happiness swelling within her.

"Say, what's your name Sister?" Heathcliff asked, realizing he didn't know her name. She glanced up at him, and Heathcliff could feel the kindness in her eyes.

"I'm Asia Argento. Pleased to meet you!" Asia exclaimed. Heathcliff contemplated whether she spelled it like the continent Asia, but pronounced it differently, or some other way. He quickly pushed that thought aside, knowing she was expecting him to introduce himself. He grinned.

"I'm Heathcliff King. Professional Australian." Heathcliff said to the fullest capacity his accent would allow. Asia stared up at him in awe and smiled brightly.

"Wow! I've never met someone from Australia! What's it like!?" Asia exclaimed, fidgeting with excitement. Heathcliff chuckled and let off an aura of an animal wrangler. He bent low and held his other hand to block the sunlight from his eyes.

"Aye, there's hundreds of beasts that roam the deserts and forests. I've seen 'em all, huge spiders, venomous snakes, kangaroos with a right hook so hard it'll knock out a dingo! Crikey!" Heathcliff exclaimed, jumping back at a false attack. Asia giggled and clapped at his performance. He blushed from embarrassment and bowed.

"Thank you, thank you… But, in all seriousness, it's a beautiful land." Heathcliff said, continuing to walk with her. Asia smiled and placed a hand over her heart.

"That's amazing! I'd like to see it sometime!" Asia cheered, giving Heathcliff a huge smile.

"Ah, well, I can tell you a few stories. I may have been drunk for half of them, so you'll have to forgive me." Heathcliff explained. Asia grabbed his free hand and smiled at him with unbound excitement.

"You would!? I'd love to hear them! I always want to learn about others and listen to their tales! Does that mean you'll be my first friend in Japan!?" Asia asked, quite literally vibrating with excitement. Heathcliff took a moment to contemplate her words.

 _So innocent and kind. A friend? I guess I don't have any real 'friends' yet. Zeb hasn't come around yet. Ah hell, what could be the harm?_ Heathcliff thought. He returned her smile and crouched down to her level.

"Course. You won't learn anything about the Outback by _not_ being my friend." Heathcliff said. Asia cheered and hugged him. Heathcliff was taken aback by the sudden gesture, and luckily it didn't last long. He recovered himself quickly and stood again.

"Thank you, Heathcliff! I look forward to it!" Asia exclaimed. Heathcliff chuckled at her boisterous nature and they continued walking. But, a moment later a boy heading to the park at full sprint tripped over Heathcliff and tumbled to the ground. Heathcliff himself had to restrain himself from chuckling at the boy's unfortunate accident, as he had caught his little foot on Heathcliff's titanic boot.

"Oh my! Are you alright!?" Asia exclaimed, immediately attending to the boy. He watched with interest as Asia examined the scrape on the boy's knee. Suddenly her hands glowed with a green light that encompassed the boy's injury. It started healing, and in an instant was healed. He thanked her and continued on his way, but not before giving Heathcliff a deathly glare.

"Well, that was mildly interesting. Where'd you pick up that trick?" Heathcliff asked, noting the magical energy that it exuded. It condensed into a set of two rings on each of her hands and vanished.

"It was a blessing from God. He granted me the power to heal injured people, something I gladly do. It is my job as His servant to attend to all who are injured." Asia said solemnly, but with a glad-hearted smile. Heathcliff nodded slightly.

"Hm. Interesting." He said curtly. The idea of such a powerful healing ability boggled his mind. His healing factor was a far cry from her efficient and expeditious magic. It wasn't long before they reached the base of the hill where the church was located. Heathcliff looked up at the building and felt his heart skip a beat.

 _What the…?_ He thought as a burning pain shot through his heart. All of his senses heightened themselves, and his instincts screamed to run. There was no fight, only flight.

"Thank you for leading me here, Heathcliff. I can take it from here, you should get to school." Asia said as he handed her suitcase over. Heathcliff broke his stupor of shock and started to turn and leave.

"Yeah, no problem, I'll see you later…" Heathcliff mumbled, taking off at a quick pace. Asia was left confused about his disturbed state. He trotted off with a deep sigh.

 _That was weird. I think being a Christian reincarnated as a Devil is a serious sin. Or, the Devil nature is heavily injured by holy places or holy… weapons… Oh shit._ Heathcliff thought. He continued on his way to school, now more wary of his previous beliefs.

 _[Oh, that sounds bad. So, your religion is now a weapon against you? I didn't know that.]_ Kiva chimed. Heathcliff hummed in response and pulled at his shirt collar. His silver cross still sat on his chest.

 _But, why haven't I felt anything from my own cross? Is it because I was reincarnated with it? But the church gave me a chill like death. This is weird. I wonder what it'll do to me._ Heathcliff thought. He could hear Kiva's 'thinking' noise. The creature borrowed some of his abstract thinking ability.

 _[So, since magic exists… then the blessings and curses of the Angels and Demons exist? Like, the actual abilities and weaknesses exist with these races of beings? So, if you were to fight an angel, you'd be at a disadvantage?]_ Kiva wondered, returning Heathcliff's full thought processes. He chuckled at the little creature's abilities.

 _Technically, in a sense. When it comes down to what I am, and what they are, yes. But that doesn't include my abilities or their abilities. I'd say in most situations, I would be at a disadvantage, since I can't really use much magic. That, and I'm not supernatural, I'm biological, mostly._ Heathcliff responded. The creature accepted his words and quieted down. Heathcliff welcomed the silence. He needed to learn how to compete with power beyond his comprehension.

 _I've only just been juxtaposed into this supernatural shit… How the fuck am I going to survive?_

* * *

Heathcliff let his head rest firmly on his desk. He glanced at Kala who now sat in front of him, dressed in a school girl's uniform, looking years younger. He didn't quite know what to think of it. Akeno and Rias discussed something in to his right, he apparently wasn't allowed to hear it, despite hearing it. Akeno was concerned over Kala, and Rias was convincing her otherwise. Or trying to.

 _I wonder what they'd think of a Nun in town. Eh, whatever… not really important. I think she's just her to reopen the church. But it's odd how I just happened to meet her._ Heathcliff thought. He kicked back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. Something was happening. He could feel it. But nothing screamed to him a sense of danger. Nothing so far had stood out to him that he should be cautious of. But something in his senses was telling him something was happening.

 _Kiva, do you think it's possible for me to sense existential, or even impending events? Like I'm so advanced with senses that I can sense oncoming danger before it even arrives?_ Heathcliff wondered. The creature zipped back into his consciousness and hummed.

 _[I'm not sure about how accurate that could be, but I'm sure you can, in some way. I think if you meditated you'd be able to sense something as… abstract as that. Maybe. I'm not too keen on human abstract thinking yet.]_ Kiva responded. Heathcliff chuckled silently as the creature disconnected.

"Nah, guess I'm just paranoid." Heathcliff muttered to himself. He leaned back forward, only to stop his momentum short of crashing into Kala's face. She smiled at him.

"What's that, Heath?" She asked, keeping her face close to his. Heathcliff felt himself blush and leaned away slightly.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." Heathcliff responded. Kala licked her lips slightly and crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts up. The undone buttons on the top of her shirt gave Heathcliff a clear view into the valley below, something he tried his best not to look at. She smiled coyly as she caught him eyeing her chest.

 _Fucker…_ Heathcliff growled silently. She leaned in slightly and moved one of her hands to trace Heathcliff's. His grip on the sides of his desk increased as she gently traced the veins in the back of his hand. She traced the vessels all up his chiseled forearm as well, even tracing the outline of his scar.

"So, how do you like me as a schoolgirl? Don't boys like the schoolgirl look? I even pulled my hair back…" Kala said, her voice low and sensual. Heathcliff had a hard time paying attention to her words as he felt her foot slid up the side of his leg.

"Ahem… uh, yeah… looks nice. But uh, what-uh, what the hell are you doing?" Heathcliff muttered, stuttering slightly when her finger hit a sensitive spot on his scar. Kala smiled and intertwined her legs around his.

"Just… you know… getting you excited. C'mon, Heath… I know you want me. All guys want more than just one girl." Kala said. Her smile curled up, turning lustful. Heathcliff slid his chair back out of her grip, nearly taking his desk with him.

"If they want to be discarded like used tissues, then yeah. I'm in a relationship for fuck's sake." Heathcliff hissed. His expression turning serious Kala pouted at him, drooping across his desk.

"You're no fun…" She muttered. Heathcliff sighed as the final bell rang, releasing him from this situation. He got up and grabbed his bag, but he started getting pulled away by someone.

"With me, clubhouse, now." Rias ordered, pulling Heathcliff along as she left the room. He turned and caught Akeno's sympathetic eyes before being yanked past the doorway, which he then hit his head on.

"Ah, son of fuckin' wombat looking whore… Hey, what's with the aggressive pulling?" Heathcliff asked, keeping pace with Rias so she was no longer pulling him along by his wrist. She stopped, dropping his arm and facing him with a very annoyed expression.

"We need to talk. So, follow me." Rias commanded. Heathcliff sighed and nodded, following her outside towards the clubhouse.

 _Whoa boy… this ought to be… entertaining…_

* * *

Rias led Heathcliff into a very colorful room of the clubhouse. Windows of stained glass gave the room a dim but colored air. He leaned on the railing of the loft they stood on. Rias tapped her foot as she waited to explain. Heathcliff awaited her angry berating with a calm, relaxed demeanor.

"Don't go near that church or that holy woman ever again." Rias stated. Heathcliff was surprised she knew about his morning encounter. Possibly, this is what his senses were warning him about.

"Now that's a little aggressive. What harm could come of it? Are angels gonna come looking to swat my ass? Oh, so scary…" Heathcliff chuckled. He stood up straight and faced Rias as she grew increasingly annoyed with his obnoxious retort. She punched at him, but failed to make contact as he leaned just far enough away for it to miss.

"Heath! Don't play games! That nun could spell danger, we have no idea who she's working for. The Angels would not have sent her here. This is my family's territory. You have to be careful." Rias explained, glaring at him. Heathcliff shrugged. He saw her point, but refused to acknowledge it as a reason for disregarding his new friend.

"I'm not going to avoid her like a rabid dingo. She's not a problem, and I highly doubt she will cause us any harm. But you're suggesting someone not of the Church sent her here, or brought her here. If that's true, then why aren't we wary of them instead? This girl, she's not even dangerous. I watched her heal someone out of pure kindness." Heathcliff extrapolated. Rias nodded at his words, calming down immensely. Heathcliff sighed in silent relief.

"True enough. Just be careful… being a Devil makes you vulnerable to holy magic and items." Rias said, worry dotting her face more than anger. Heathcliff rose a brow and pulled his cross out, the silver object dangling from his fist.

"I've worn this since Pop got it for me. Why doesn't it bother me?" Heathcliff asked. Rias reached forward and pinched the cross between her fingers.

"It doesn't bother me, either. It wasn't blessed. All priests and nuns wear blessed crosses. I'm sure that nun's cross irritated your eyes." Rias explained, releasing the cross. Heathcliff put it back in his shirt and nodded.

"Ah, I see. Fine. I'll be more careful. Thanks, Rias… Just know, however, that I'm not going to disregard that girl. Whatever is happening behind her back, she isn't part of it. Willingly, anyway." Heathcliff stated firmly. Rias sighed and stepped forward, hugging Heathcliff closely. Her chest pressed into his torso and he blushed slightly.

"Promise me you won't die again." Rias murmured into his shirt. Heathcliff returned her hug and grinned.

"Sure, I doubt they'll hit me anyway." Heathcliff responded. Rias giggled into his lower chest. They separated and Rias smiled at him.

"Alright. Well, we have many summons tonight. I'm sending you to one of them." Rias said. They began heading back into the regular club room. Heathcliff sighed.

"Please don't send me back to the dude in armor. That was weird." Heathcliff muttered. Rias laughed at him as they entered the clubroom, attracting the attention of the others. Akeno approached Heathcliff and took his hand, kissing him on the cheek. Heathcliff nearly reacted to the harsh feeling of jealousy that suddenly erupted from Rias, and Kala who sat by the windows.

 _Okay…_ Heathcliff thought, slowly hiding himself behind Akeno who was the target of their feelings. Akeno smiled as he slid his arms around her. He wanted to tell her that he could sense all of their unspoken wars. But he didn't. It was for the best.

 _I don't need to be hassled by people wanting to know what everybody's thinking or feeling._ Heathcliff thought. Rias settled into her seat and began going through the requests. Heathcliff felt their emotions level out and he felt at ease once more. Rias got up and brought two papers over to Heathcliff.

"Heath, I'm giving you these two requests. One isn't exactly a request, they're just lonely. The other… I'm not sure. So, I'll send you out. Just be careful." Rias explained. Heathcliff took the papers with a nod and smiled as Akeno set up a transport portal. The two girls sent him off into the portal. He waved to everybody and vanished into the portal.

* * *

Heathcliff opened his eyes in a shadowed area outside. He walked around the corner and found his first address. His senses kicked in once again, giving the eerie feeling of danger. He checked his sixth sense. He could sense the people inside of the home, but he couldn't pick out anything out of the ordinary. One male, a female, and something else. But he couldn't make it out, so he figured it was unimportant.

 _Huh, something's off. Like earlier. I can't sense any real problems. Alright… Guess I better get moving._ Heathcliff thought. He walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. But it was his magic sense that set off the moment his finger met the button. He glanced behind him, being able to sense the barrier that suddenly sprung up. It let off a fiery aura. Like the Fallen Angel spears.

 _Holy magic? Shit, I think I walked into a trap… Guess I ought to kick ass to get out._ Heathcliff thought. Kiva reconnected, the creature acting as a supercomputer-style battle advisor. He kept all of Heathcliff's senses completely amped, allowing him to better feel his environment.

 _[Looks like it. Keep watch. Do you want to morph?]_ Kiva asked. Heathcliff chuckled and cracked his knuckles.

 _Nah. Can't show them our trump card too soon._ Heathcliff responded. He slowly opened the front door and stalked onto the ceiling on all fours, toes and fingertips. He sniffed the air. Blood filled his nostrils. He forced himself to bear with the stench. He stealthily made his way to the living room where light was coming from. He could see the blood puddle on the floor. He stayed in the shadows.

"Don't hide, little Devil. I know you're here…" an enflamed and boisterous voice said. A white haired man on the couch glanced at the doorway and rose an eyebrow. Heathcliff knew the man couldn't see him.

"Huh, that's odd. He's here, right?" the man asked, looking across the room. Heathcliff froze as Asia appeared in his vision, timidly approaching the man.

"Yes… he is… I don't know where, though." Asia answered. The man suddenly jumped up and backhanded her, roaring in rage.

"You dumb bitch! Where is he then!?" the man shouted, he went to swing again. Heathcliff landed in the doorway silently and webbed the man's wrist, stopping his arm.

"Now, now… hit her again and I'll gut you." Heathcliff said venomously. Asia stared in horror at him as he sighed.

"Heath… you're a… Devil?" Asia asked, shaking in place. The man pulled a hilt out of his priest coat and a blade made of light appeared from the guard.

"Aw, you two know each other? That's cute… Hi, I'm Freed, your executioner…" Freed said, slashing at Heathcliff's web. Heathcliff easily saw his move coming and pulled on the web, forcing him to miss.

"Calm down ya fuckin' wombat." Heathcliff said, kicking Freed in the crotch. The man fell to his knees and clutched at his crotch.

"Yeah, sorry to break it to you Asia, but I am a Devil. Don't worry, though. I'm not gonna… stab you with a pitchfork or something… I'm just gonna beat up this dude. He did kill this innocent man, right?" Heathcliff asked, stomping his boot on Freed's head and smashing his head into the floor. Asia nodded, glancing at the dead man on the floor. Heathcliff broke his web off and stuck it to the wall.

"Alright, Freed. How about you do your best to try and hit me, and we'll see how long it takes before I start laughing at you?" Heathcliff asked, rolling his neck as Freed stood up and slashed his bond off. He glared bloody daggers at Heathcliff and pulled a large pistol out of his coat.

"Ooh, a gun! So scary!" Heathcliff mocked, taking a buoyant stance and readying himself to fight. Freed grinned.

"Mock all you like, little Devil! You can't dodge bullets!" Freed shouted, firing off a round. It was headed for Heathcliff's chest. He reacted before it left the barrel and leaned to the side, dodging the bullet flawlessly.

"Actually, I can." Heathcliff said, taking the man's shock as an opportunity. He lunged forward and jabbed Freed in the jaw, knocking him over. Freed got up and fired another round, but Heathcliff jumped over it and stuck to the ceiling. Freed was shocked again, open to the kick Heathcliff delivered to his face, smashing him into the floor. He jumped back as Freed slashed frantically at him with his sword.

"Damn… this is just sad. I can't laugh at this incompetence." Heathcliff sighed, shaking his head. Freed glared at him.

"SHUT UP! HOW ABOUT THIS!?" Freed screamed. Heathcliff watched as he started pointing his gun at Asia. Heathcliff reacted far faster than Freed could act. He webbed the man's wrist and wrenched the gun off to the side. The bullet fired off and smashed mirror.

"Bad Freed." Heathcliff said coldly, sticking the web to the floor and webbing the man's other wrist. Freed did his best to free himself, but Heathcliff's bonds and superior strength held out.

"You're a bit annoying. Not very funny when the wombat goes berserk. Alright, you're done." Heathcliff said, sticking the other web to the floor. Freed screamed and frantically tugged at the restraints. Heathcliff webbed himself to the far wall and started to pull.

"YOU FUCKING DEVIL SCUM! I'LL KILL YOU!" Freed screamed, managing to slash his bonds off. But he was too late, Heathcliff grinned as he left the ground and pulled with all his might. He flew towards Freed, smashing his heels into Freed's face and hurled him into the far wall. His legs dangling from the wall. Heathcliff landed on his feet with a thud as his momentum from his dropkick slowed. He got up and dusted himself off. Freed's heartbeat slowed as he was now unconscious.

"Well, he was annoying." Heathcliff muttered, checking the bottom of his boots. Asia approached him and watched as he picked a tooth out of his right boot.

"I think I hit him too hard." Heathcliff commented, grinning at Asia with the tooth in his hand. She started to tear up.

"H-Heath… how were you… what did you…?" Asia mumbled, wiping her eyes. Heathcliff dropped the tooth and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She leaned on his arm and smiled.

"Don't worry. Everything's alright. I can explain, but I don't think we should stay here. Freed might get up… I ought to execute him." Heathcliff said. He released Asia and an obsidian blade jutted from his arm. He made his way towards Freed, but was stopped when Asia grabbed his arm.

"Heath! Don't! Killing isn't right!" Asia yelled, holding him back as best she could. He was merely allowing her to do so, since he could easily overpower her. But he didn't. Her innocent expression and transfixion on him forced him to stop. He couldn't overpower her even if he wanted to.

"Fine, I'll spare him for now. But we have to get out of here. Drop the barrier and we'll go." Heathcliff said. Asia released him and he felt the magic barrier around them fall. He suddenly grabbed Asia and darted out of the building, leaping up into the night.

* * *

Heathcliff landed in a deserted area, a small park with a reflection pool in the center. He set Asia down and checked the area. He relaxed slightly and sat down on the bench with Asia. She hung her head and stared at the ground.

"So, mind explaining the psychopath with the gun and the fucking Lightsaber?" Heathcliff asked, leaning on his knees. He noticed a change in Asia's emotions. She was distraught.

"Heath… they make me do horrible things, all in the name of God. Just because I was exiled. But… you're a Devil… I can't believe my first friend is an evil being of Hell, and these Fallen Angels…" Asia cried. Heathcliff put a comforting arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him and cried. He stayed silent.

 _Poor girl. I know all too well what Catholicism is and what they really care about. I wonder why they exiled her._ Heathcliff thought. He felt something breech his sixth sense and stood up quickly, watching as they approached from afar. A barrier that disrupted the area went up with psychedelic colors running through it. A Fallen's barrier.

"L-Lady Raynare!" Asia exclaimed, hiding behind Heathcliff as the Fallen Angel floated in front of the fountain. She grinned wickedly and held a red spear in her hand. It was the same woman who attempted to kill him the first time.

"You… you're the fuckin' psycho wombat whore that tried killing me. Well, I'm a bit more prepared this time, ya cunt." Heathcliff growled, his breath steaming in the air. He felt flames in his mouth as he licked his tongue. He spat off to the side, leaving a burn on the sidewalk.

"My, my… you're alive, and a filthy Devil no-less. Just give me the girl and we can go our separate ways. No need to fight. Your master would be furious." Raynare said, brandishing her spear. Her playful but arrogant smile annoyed Heathcliff.

"Ha, like I'd hand my friend over to a damn wench like you. I don't care what ancient code says I can't go out and fuckin' kick the shit outta you, I'm going to anyway." Heathcliff said. He crouched low to the ground and waited as she dropped lower to the ground. She clicked her tongue and threw her spear at him. Heathcliff pushed Asia away and spun out of the path of the spear. He rushed forward, firing a web at Raynare's face. It splatted and covered her eyes. She screamed and tried ripping it off. Heathcliff jumped and landed on her shoulders as she haphazardly flew about. He grabbed her by the hair and launched a powerful knee into her face, knocking her out of the air. Heathcliff pulled himself back to dry land with a web as Raynare crashed into the water.

"You fucking monkey…" Raynare growled as she cut his web off with a spear. He watched as she shook the water from her wings and glared at him. A grin sprouted on her face as she raised her spear. He watched her closely, but when she threw it, he nearly had a heart attack. He rushed forward, his reaction time allowed him to intercept the projectile as it flew towards Asia. She yelped as he slammed into the jagged spear, catching it in his hands.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Heathcliff shouted, rolling to a stop and throwing the spear out of his grasp. His hands burned with a red aura rising from them, and the gashes in his hands were enormous. He growled and grunted, his muscles firing feverishly from the intense pain.

 _[I'm shutting your pain receptors down! Wait! What the fuck!?]_ Kiva exclaimed. Heathcliff screamed as the pain intensified. It didn't hurt his body now, but his very soul. His senses stopped delivering information as he screamed. He felt it tearing and searing, even when his hands went numb. He suddenly doubled over and the pain tripled into a menagerie of absolute agony and suffering. Another spear was present in his stomach, as he was distracted by the pain in his hands. The spear was ripped from him as he collapsed onto his back, watching as Raynare embraced Asia.

"You fool. You thought you could stop a spear of Holy Light? Now then, we'll be going." Raynare said, slowly ascending into the air. Heathcliff fought through the pain and fired off a small web. It connected to the bottom of Asia's dress and mingled with the fabric. He felt a familiar magic appear behind him as a red glow erupted from the ground. He flipped Raynare off as a delicate pair of hands dragged him into the glow.

"ASIA!" He screamed before blacking out in pure agony.

 _I swear… I'm still your friend, and I don't leave my friends behind._

* * *

 **Done. Sorry it's short, but I figured it's better than nothing. If it seems like my style changed halfway through this, it's because it did. I wrote part of this months before I realized it still existed and wrote another version in my ignorance.**

 **Leave suggestions for ranged attack's Heathcliff could possibly use in a review. I'd appreciate the ideas and I'll credit you if I like it.**

 **Thanks guys,**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.**


	7. He is Vengeful and Mighty

Chapter Seven

He is Vengeful and Mighty

"Heath." He heard his name being called, but it was to no avail as he laid helplessly in his mindscape. Visions passed him by without clarity, and noised molded together. He slowly regained himself and glanced about at the colors that passed him by. He couldn't make sense of any of it.

 _[Heath, your consciousness has returned! I thought that all that agony would've wiped your mind away. I've never seen such pain.]_ Kiva's voice suddenly said. Heathcliff was still unconscious, but the little bugger could still speak to him. Heathcliff sighed.

 _Yeah, I guess. Everything is starting to settle out. What am I looking at?_ Heathcliff wondered. Kiva hummed in response as a very blurry image stilled before his mind's eye. He saw flames, chaos, and broken buildings. He saw blonde hair, and a green glow. He saw shadows overcoming it.

 _[A premonition? That's my guess, based on your knowledge of weird visions.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff chuckled at the creature's speculation and focused on the vision itself.

 _The fire doesn't fade away like the rest. All this fire still stays around._ Heathcliff observed. He deduced that it was a forewarning to future events yet to come, whereas he concluded the blonde hair, green glow, and shadows to be a present or soon to come occurrence. Or so he liked to believe. He really didn't know anything definitively. His and the creature's presumptions were pure speculation. It pissed him off.

"Heathcliff!" He jumped slightly at the loud ringing that followed the shrill call of his name. He could feel the visions slipping away as his consciousness returned. Slowly it all darkened to the pitch blackness of a void.

Then, he woke up.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Heathcliff shouted, sitting up feverishly in the large bed. He blinked and rubbed his eyes as the dim light of the room entered them. When he was able to see again, he saw bandages around his bare stomach and his palms. He glanced to his right to see Akeno smiling and crying. She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. He caught her with a pained grunt.

"Heath! You're okay! I was so worried!" Akeno sobbed, rubbing her face into his neck. Rias suddenly burst into the room and rushed around to his left side. She hopped onto his left side and hugged him as well. She was also tearful. Heathcliff glanced between them with bewilderment. Who was the one calling for him in his dream?

"Course I am… Kiva won't let me die… technically. What… happened? All I remember is flipping off that psychotic bitch…" Heathcliff muttered, his stomach searing with pain. His spine didn't feel any better, and he soon felt Kiva flip his pain receptors off. He sighed as relief flooded him.

"You nearly died! We came to rescue you as soon as Rias noticed you were in trouble. I've been trying to heal you, but my magic isn't working too well." Akeno explained, calming down slightly. She sniffled and held his arm against her chest. He might've been numb, but her breasts still felt wondrous against his arm. Rias did the same on his right side.

"Neither has my magic. But… what I want to know is what happened back there?" Rias asked, running her hand through his hair. Heathcliff sighed and relaxed against the headboard slightly. Akeno ran a careful and comforting hand across his chest. If he wasn't numb, Heathcliff could've felt himself blush.

"Uh… well. A lot." Heathcliff mumbled. He took a moment to recount the events that landed him in this bed. While he liked being nearly smothered by two gorgeous women, he didn't like nearly dying.

 _[Oh, the healing thing is my fault. You were in so much trauma I sent you into a comatose state and forced your systems to run on a lower level. I basically made everything grind to a halt, even your cell's healing factor was halted to keep you from losing any energy or blood and dying. Basically what I do when you actually die, but since they tried healing you with magic, it reversed my abilities and canceled out. Hopefully, that makes sense. They should be able to heal you now that you're conscious and I'm not withholding your functions.]_ Kiva explained in the moment between Heathcliff's words and thoughts. He sighed and shook his head.

"Well, that solves that problem. So, Rias… remember when you revived me?" Heathcliff asked, shifting the subject momentarily. She nodded as he leaned more into her touch. He shivered as Akeno found his collarbone.

"When you revived me, you stopped Kiva's own revive ability. See, your healing or reviving magic cancels out his healing ability because my body doesn't know what to listen to… Get it? So, when I nearly died back there, Kiva sent me into a comatose state where he tried to heal me. But that backfired your own efforts, making them both null and void. Make sense?" Heathcliff explained. He drew in a long breath as both women thought over his words. He had scarcely understood the creature's own explanation, so his would have to suffice.

"I see. Does that mean you'd have to let Kiva know if we're going to heal you?" Rias asked. She placed her hand over his injured stomach and it started to glow.

 _[I'd just have to know if they do. I suppose I'll use your seventh sense to detect it. Just let them know that if it isn't working, just leave it to me.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff grinned as his receptors were turned back online and he felt the pain leaving his stomach as Rias healed him. Akeno took his hands and held them, her magic started healing him as well.

"Just… if it isn't working, leave it to him. Kiva is an extremely intelligent creature, despite not having much of a mind of his own… But, you know what the worst part of this is?" Heathcliff asked, watching Akeno heal him. She glanced at him curiously. He grinned but didn't move apart from that.

"I barely have the strength to talk, let alone kiss my beautiful girlfriend… as thanks…" Heathcliff chuckled slightly as Akeno blushed. She smiled at him and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his.

"I guess I'll have to do all the work." Akeno said as she pulled away. Rias narrowed her eyes at them and sighed. She grabbed Heathcliff's jaw and turned his head towards her. He sighed at the act, sensing her envy.

"Heath, details. What happened?" Rias demanded, squeezing his cheeks slightly. He chuckled and tried pulling his jaw free. She didn't let him go.

"Aw come on… at least go back to rubbing my head… that was relaxing. This hurts…" Heathcliff muttered through his squeezed face. Rias couldn't help but giggle at him and released his face. She began stroking his head again, gently rubbing his head. He groaned lightly and relaxed once more.

"Anyway… So… that house I went to. Some wombat looking dude in a priest outfit killed the resident and had, Asia, the nun with him. Since he was a crazy fuck, I beat him up, but Asia wouldn't let me kill him. So we escaped to the park where Raynare tracked us down. I started hitting her, but she aimed a spear at Asia… and I guess you can gather the rest from there." Heathcliff explained. Akeno rubbed his now healed hands and slowly started removing his bandages. Rias sighed and continued her ministrations. Heathcliff felt like going back to sleep.

"So… that's how you injured your hands. Saving someone else's life." Akeno said quietly. She sighed and snuggled up next to him. He wrapped his arm around her to the best of his abilities. He was still sluggish and tired, though.

"I guess… I just wish I wasn't so stupid about it. I caught the damn thing in my bare hands. Though… I didn't realize it would hurt _that_ much. Fuck me…" Heathcliff muttered. Akeno giggled and slid her arm around his chest. She kissed his neck and pressed into him.

"Alright. If you insist." Akeno whispered with a giggle. Heathcliff chuckled and winced as Rias pinched his ear.

"None of that. Heath, you need rest. I'll go speak to Kalawarner about this, see what she has to say. Akeno, can I trust you to heal him completely instead of raping him?" Rias asked. Akeno nodded to her and replaced Rias's hand on Heathcliff's stomach and began healing it. Rias got up and left the room, leaving them alone. Slowly but surely his wound healed. In actuality, it was far faster than any healing Akeno had seen before. Almost like Rias was still helping her.

 _[Hey Heath. I just realized I can use your magic abilities to copy the spells that Akeno is using to heal you. Since Synergetics can copy any biological function to use as their own, I just adjusted it to the magic sense and now you can copy magic. It has to hit you, though, or else we won't get the magic signature to copy it.]_ Kiva suddenly said. Heathcliff blinked in surprise and undid his bandages, his energy coming back in leaps and bounds.

"Holy shit." Heathcliff said. His wound was fully healed, and he even retrained the knowledge of the spell that Akeno was using. He held his hand out and pushed magic through, illuminating his hand in a yellow glow.

"Heath, that's my healing spell! How did you learn that!?" Akeno exclaimed, just as surprised as he was. Heathcliff shrugged and canceled the spell. He heard a chuckle from his partner.

"A new ability. A modified Synergetic ability called Mimic. Usually, if we came in contact with a snake, or a chameleon, Kiva could copy its genetic material and rebuild its venom or camouflaging ability within me. So far, I've only learned how to manipulate my webbing to create strong spider webs. Originally, Synergetics could only do as much as their host, but since humans are extremely versatile, he can do much more. Such as some of the things you've seen." Heathcliff explained, remembering all of Kiva's detailed lessons. Mostly, the creature had just implanted the information into his brain. Heathcliff had to sort it out himself.

"No way… That's immeasurably useful. Can it copy anything?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff shrugged again and stretched. His body felt back at one hundred percent.

"Don't know. But the spell has to contact me to read the magic signature properly to copy it. My seventh sense only senses magic and levels of it. So this Mimic can't do everything. If the spell is going to kill me, I might not want to get hit with it. There's the chance it'll kill me and Kiva won't be able to recover the memory signature for it. Fun stuff." Heathcliff said with a grin. Akeno flicked his nose and then kissed it.

"Don't go getting killed again, silly." Akeno said, hugging him tightly. Heathcliff sighed and pulled her on top of him. She giggled as he squeezed her and nuzzled her neck.

"I might have to if this is the treatment I get." Heathcliff joked, kissing Akeno on the cheek. She laughed and shoved him down onto the bed. She straddled his waist and Heathcliff sucked in a quick breath as he struggled to stay calm. She smiled and pressed her hands into his chest.

"Akeno, Heath." Rias said as she burst into the room again. Heathcliff cursed his luck, and also blushed slightly at the precarious situation he was in. Akeno smiled at Rias while Heathcliff did his best not to look foolish. He did, anyway, so his efforts were in vain.

"Uh, I spoke with Kalawarner. She said she might know what Raynare is doing with Asia, but she isn't sure. All she really knows is that it will benefit Kokabiel. We can't have that." Rias explained as Akeno slowly climbed off of Heathcliff. He sat up properly and pulled the sheets off. Luckily, he still had pants on.

"So, we can save Asia. Good. But… does she know where they took her?" Heathcliff wondered. Rias shook her head and he clenched his fists.

 _Dammit all. I can't let Asia become an experiment for some asshole I don't even know…_ Heathcliff thought. He heard Kiva hum and a memory flashed through his head.

 _[When you fired that web, I took the liberty of imbuing it with our own Presence signature. I guess you could say that a little_ _part of you is with it. It lets of a volatile presence, letting your sixth sense find it easily. But it has a limit before the_ _Caulobacter die.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff wanted to give the creature a high five, but he focused on his sixth sense and it extended into the beyond again. He felt a highly violent presence on the edge of his sense where everything was starting to blur together. He suddenly jumped up from the bed and gathered his clothes.

"Heathcliff… what?" Rias wondered. He grinned as he put his boots back on and pointed towards the signal.

"Kiva can do some seriously insane stuff. My webbing contains a bacterium known as Caulobacter. It's what creates the webbing itself, and what allows me to cling to surfaces. Before you took me away, I fired off a web that stuck to Asia… I think. Kiva had imbued it with a violent presence, allowing me to sense it even when my sense blurs. She's out towards the edge of town. Let's go." Heathcliff said, putting his shirt and coat on. He rolled up the sleeves and ran out of the room into the clubroom.

"Heath! Where are you going!? We need to plan and teleport over there." Rias said as Heathcliff ran past Kiba and Koneko in the clubroom. They watched him hop into the window and open the shutters. He stopped and grinned back at Rias.

"They'll see you coming with a teleport. They won't know I'm coming if I swing there. Give me five minutes to get into position. You guys plan around the fact that I'm going to kick the doors in." Heathcliff said. He then jumped out of the window and disappeared into the night. Rias was left confused at his sudden disappearance.

"Well. I guess we have to back him up." Koneko sighed. Kiba chuckled half-heartedly.

"We sure do…"

* * *

Heathcliff stood atop a branch, watching the old church carefully. He made sure he was in full incognito, hiding his presence on all fronts. He had even morphed, his claw marks on the tree were the only sign he existed. It wasn't long before he saw Koneko and Kiba appear at the front of the church. The sky changed into an iridescent form. The hunt was on. Heathcliff slowly lowered himself from the branch and hung behind his friends.

"I can sense several people inside. I recognize one… he's the priest I beat the shit out of. What did you all plan for?" Heathcliff asked, his bestial voice growled slightly. Kiba stared at him in slight shock, whereas Koneko simply sighed at him.

"Rias and Akeno are taking care of the other Fallen Angels around back. We're supposed to head straight in and go after the nun." Koneko explained. Heathcliff grinned with his creepy, long maw and licked his teeth.

"Wonderful. Her name's Asia, by the way. Ready?" Heathcliff asked, slinking over to the doors. He stood and raised his leg. Koneko and Kiba stood next to him as he kicked the doors off their hinges and drew his obsidian blades from his back. Freed stood at the head of the church with his hands in his coat pockets.

"Well, well… what the fuck!?" Freed shouted upon seeing Heathcliff. He drew his gun and fired at him. Heathcliff simply ducked the bullet and rushed forward, overtaking Freed in a matter of seconds. The man screamed as Heathcliff dug his sword into Freed's stomach. He jumped back, snapping the blade so it stayed lodged in Freed. Heathcliff replaced the spike on his back before drawing it again. A new jagged blade was attached to it.

"Ah… what the fuck are you…?" Freed wondered as he drew his light sword. He slashed a bench in half after Koneko threw it at him. Heathcliff spat on his blades and they ignited with fire.

"I am a beast." Heathcliff answered simply, ducking another bullet. Freed rushed them and clashed with Kiba, sword against sword. Heathcliff appeared at Freed's side and caught his pistol arm under his own. Heathcliff twisted his arm and popped Freed's arm out of its socket. He rammed another obsidian blade into Freed's chest just before the rogue priest was able to slip away from them. He laughed as his left arm hung limply at his side. He put his sword away and pulled out a small white orb. Heathcliff reformed his sword as Freed pulled the obsidian out of his body. He screamed as he removed the flaming blade.

"You kids are something else… Literally. But, this fight will have to wait till next time… Toodaloo!" Freed exclaimed as he threw the orb on the ground. Koneko threw another bench at him and Heathcliff fired off a web to catch him. But it was too no avail as the orb exploded in a white light. They were blinded for mere moments, but Heathcliff recovered the fastest and sniffed the air. He checked his senses, finding no sign of Freed whatsoever. He growled as he replaced his swords.

"I'm going to kill that fucking wombat." Heathcliff muttered in a low rumble. Koneko and Kiba recovered a moment later and were slightly baffled. Freed had absolutely vanished.

"Heath… you're far more formidable than I imagined." Kiba said, smiling at Heathcliff. Koneko nodded in agreement as Heathcliff stood up and looked at his muscly body covered by his protective fibrous skin.

"Thanks… I didn't know you could pull swords out of your ass." Heathcliff responded with a bestial grin. Kiba grinned and switched the sword he was using in a flash. Heathcliff chuckled.

"Not really from there, but yes. I can. It's my Sacred Gear." Kiba said. Heathcliff gave him a confused glance, which looked more like he was going to eat the lad. Kiba chuckled sheepishly.

"I guess we never mentioned them before. Story for another time." Kiba stated. Heathcliff nodded as Koneko broke the podium of the church open to reveal a staircase. They descended it to see a large room with hooded figures lining the chamber. Raynare was at the helm of these people, standing before Asia who was chained to a cross.

"ASIA!" Heathcliff roared, jumping into the fray of robed people. They all turned to face him, as did Raynare.

"The hero comes rush- WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU!?" Raynare yelled, reeling back from the sight of Heathcliff's morph. The robed figures backed away, moaning in fear. Heathcliff licked his teeth and spat on the floor, lighting it ablaze. He smiled at Raynare.

"Don't you remember me?" Heathcliff asked, drawing his blades from his back. Raynare glanced at the flames before staring at him in shock.

"Heathcliff King? Ugh, what gutter monster did you become?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff growled and breathed deeply. He roared and unleashed a stream of fire from his maw towards the robed people. They screamed as his flamethrower of an attack engulfed them and they scattered. Koneko and Kiba joined him and attacked the robed people as some of them fought back.

"I've been a monster. Release Asia before I make you my next hunt." Heathcliff demanded, readying himself for a fight. Raynare smiled as Asia began screaming vigorously and in pure agony.

"You're too late, little scum rat. The ritual was complete long before you arrived… Now I will have the Sacred Gear of Twilight Healing! Good luck defeating us now, Devils!" Raynare shouted as Asia's body soon went limp and a little green glow exited her. Two small rings slowly fell into Raynare's grasp and she captured them. They soon appeared on her hands.

 _Sacred Gear. That again… I hope it isn't anything too important._ Heathcliff thought. But his senses betrayed his wishful thinking. He noticed Asia's presence diminish. She was dead.

 _[Heath. I hope you can work under pressure.]_ Kiva said. The creature's words were the last thing Heathcliff's mind processed before it was overtaken by pure, unadulterated rage. He roared with an ear-piercing intensity, forcing everyone to cover their ears. He shot forward with unfathomable speed and slammed into the shocked Raynare, his blades digging into her shoulders. She screamed as he planted himself on the pedestal and launched her into the air. His blades snapped at the force of his throw and Raynare smashed through the ceiling into the mass hall with a thunderous crash. She hit the ceiling and screamed as Heathcliff jumped at her. He put his sword hilts back as he caught Raynare in midair and squeezed her throat. He roared again, but flames escaped his maw and engulfed her.

Heathcliff pulled them back to the ceiling with a web and threw the flaming Fallen Angel at the ground. She smashed into the floor in a heap as his flames went out. Heathcliff landed silently behind her, awaiting her next move as the dust cleared. He noticed her magic spike as a green glow emitted from the cloud. He growled as Raynare stood up and walked towards him, her wounds healing quickly. His obsidian clattered to the floor as the blades were ejected from her body. Her leather 'outfit' was torn and burned away, leaving her mostly nude.

"Well… that was terrifying… But I'm ready for you now- AHG!" Raynare was cut off when a web slammed into her throat and Heathcliff pulled with all his might. She was thrown off balance and he reeled her in, grabbing her by the throat again. She struggled against his immense strength, but it was futile. His monstrous strength terrified her.

"What… did you do… to Asia…?" Heathcliff growled with a guttural echo. Raynare choked on her words as his grip tightened. He narrowed his reptilian eyes and pulled his sword out of his back again. He rammed the blade into her stomach and twisted it, her choked screams echoed throughout the night. He lessened his grip, but webbed her hands and feet together. Raynare coughed violently as tears ran out of her eyes.

"The ritual transferred her Sacred Gear to me… it killed her… Why do you… even care?" Raynare said through coughs and choked breaths. Heathcliff broke his blade off again and returned the spike. His grip on her throat tightened again, but didn't snuff her out quite yet.

"SOMEONE, BRING ME ASIA!" Heathcliff bellowed. In an instant, Kiba was at his side with Asia's lifeless body in his arms. He laid the girl on a bench and Heathcliff slammed Raynare on the ground next to Asia.

"Give it back." Heathcliff ordered. He grabbed Raynare's hand and started crushing it. She choked out a scream.

"FUCK YOU!" Raynare yelped. Heathcliff smashed her into the ground again and stomped on his lodged blade. Raynare screamed in anguish and cried out.

"GIVE IT BACK TO HER, BEFORE I STOP SHOWING MERCY!" Heathcliff bellowed, lifting Raynare to a standing position. The Fallen Angel sobbed and nodded feverishly. Heathcliff released her as she rested her hands on Asia's body and started mumbling. The rings on her hands soon vanished and reappeared on Asia. Asia's presence returned slightly. Heathcliff felt himself calm down slightly and watched the terrified and sobbing Raynare fall to her knees. She cowered before him, crying profusely. He felt a sudden rush of guilt as she quietly awaited her death.

"What the hell happened in here? All we heard was roaring…?" Rias mumbled as her and Akeno appeared at the front doors. They walked in on the scene and were absolutely shocked. Kiba stood with his eyes closed and his hands clasped tightly in front of him.

"I... I lost my cool. I'm fine now… Asia is okay. I can sense her properly. Akeno… could you attend to her, please?" Heathcliff asked, glancing at Akeno. She nodded and walked over to Asia who was still unconscious on the bench. Koneko joined them from below. She was slightly surprised at the scene before her. Heathcliff stared at his hand.

 _Kiva… is that what you meant by working under pressure?_ Heathcliff asked. He heard a chuckle from the creature and sighed.

 _[Yeah. Remember the last time you gave into your rage? I'm surprised you showed mercy. Your animalistic instincts are far stronger while I'm with you. Try not to kill unnecessarily again. Like your dad said; Vengeance is an option.]_ Kiva said. Heathcliff chuckled and slowly started to de-morph. His fibrous skin split down the middle and the sinews of his morph split apart. The flesh of the beast melded back into his body and vanished. He shook his head as his sensory receptors were replaced with his human ones. It was weird not having ears or a protruding nose and having a maw full of dagger-like teeth.

"So… what should we do with her?" Heathcliff asked quietly, looking down at Raynare. He felt a pang of guilt stab him in the heart and he glanced away. She shivered with fear when he stepped away. Heathcliff couldn't bear being near her. He felt too much remorse from torturing and terrifying her. Rias stepped forward and crouched in front of Raynare. The Fallen Angel looked up at her, but caught a glance at Heathcliff and yelped. She fell onto her back and stared at him in absolute terror.

"D-D-D-D-Don't let that… thing hurt me… please… I'll do anything… please…" Raynare pleaded. She cried out as Rias pinched the obsidian blade end between her fingers. Raynare whimpered as she glanced between the blade and Heathcliff.

"Alright. Well, I was planning on killing you… But, Kalawarner might be happy to see you. All you have to do is betray Kokabiel and side with us. Not hard, right? You don't want the Beast to get angry again, would you?" Rias coerced, twisting the obsidian blade slightly. Raynare yelped and nodded quickly.

"Of course! I'll submit! Please don't make him hurt me…" Raynare begged, cowering further. Rias smiled and glanced at Heathcliff. He rose a curious brow.

"I had a feeling you didn't want to kill her either. I don't really feel like showing her mercy, but since you captured her, I'll leave it up to you. Just know, she's your responsibility if you chose to spare her." Rias said, standing up and stepping to the side. Heathcliff sighed and glanced down at Raynare who visibly cringed in fear. Her eyes stared at him, filled with fright. He couldn't stand it. In his wrath, he truly became the monster he believed himself to be.

 _Dammit… I am a monster. I would've gutted her if she didn't submit so easily. Fuck… Rias knows I'll spare her, so why doesn't she just kill her? Would she really expect Raynare to give in and tell us everything she knows? Maybe she realizes that Raynare's fear of me can be used for that very purpose. Huh… intuitive, isn't she?_ Heathcliff thought, glancing at Rias. He stared at how vulnerable and fearful Raynare appeared. He stepped forward and she flinched. He sighed.

"Fucker…" Heathcliff muttered. He snapped his fingers and his webbing started to decay around Raynare's bound wrists and ankles. She pulled herself free and started backing away from Heathcliff. But in her haste, Raynare doubled over in pain from the obsidian blade in her stomach. Heathcliff knew he couldn't do much so he simply crouched down next to Asia as Akeno healed her.

"She should be fine with some rest. But… why spare that wretched Fallen Angel? She tried to kill you." Akeno said, turning to face Heathcliff. He continued to stare at Asia's unconscious form and balanced on the balls of his feet. He rested his arms on his thighs and intertwined his hands.

"Same reason I acted the way I did around Kalawarner. I can't do it. She's afraid of me. Afraid of my strength. I don't want to hurt her, but I did. I had to. But I went too far. 'Vengeance is an option, so you should be true to what you believe', so I was. I couldn't possibly hurt her after that, even if I wanted to murder her before, I can't bring myself to do it. Not after seeing her fear." Heathcliff explained in a quiet tone. He hung his head and closed his eyes.

"But, she brought this on herself…" Akeno started, trying to argue with the glum Heathcliff. He sighed as she trailed off. It seemed she didn't know how to convince him otherwise.

"Most certainly. By all accounts, she deserves death. But I was raised to believe in something… and part of that is atonement. By sparing her, I am atoning. By showing kindness, I will atone. By helping others, I will atone. Raynare is… well, is who she is because of sin. Sometimes it is necessary, or unavoidable. I have killed without feeling before. I won't do so again." Heathcliff said, his vague explanation must have reached to someone. Akeno grew quiet and placed a comforting hand on his back as a quiet tear escaped his eye. He heard a small whimper and glanced to where Raynare was hiding. Her eyes caught his.

"Hate me, fear me, whatever is your poison. Just know… I am still human behind the monster." Heathcliff stated quietly. He stood and picked Asia up in his arms. He turned to Rias and nodded before walking out of the church. Akeno watched him leave, as did Raynare. He jumped into the cool, dark night with Asia's warmth held against his chest.

 _'Lad, you've got it in you. Potential, kindness, and rage. Use them each, but not one more than the other. Remember who's watching you, HA-HA!'_ Words echoed in his mind as he jumped out onto a rooftop and started making his way back home. Another tear escaped his eye.

 _I am this way, because this is how Pop made me._

* * *

 **Here you are, despite myself I wrote this because I left it short last time. Here's 5000 words for you.**

 **Thanks guys,**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.**


	8. Hail to the King

Chapter Eight

Hail to the King

Heathcliff leaned heavily on his balcony, looking over the town beyond his yard. His thoughts meandered back and forth between Akeno, Asia, Raynare, and the others. He wondered what they thought of his break. His moment of wrath. The sip he took from the well of rage. The spurned feeling in his heart didn't leave. It kept jabbing at him from all sides.

 _Akeno probably hates that I spared Raynare… and Rias probably doesn't like it. I doubt Kiba even sees me as a person anymore. And he's so nice… I bet a spot Koneko doesn't even care. Or she hates me even more. I wonder what they all do on weekends._ Heathcliff thought. He reached into his jeans pocket for his phone but chose against it. He still wanted to be alone for a while longer. So, he continued to mope on the railing.

 _[You just gonna sit here and fuck the day away?]_ Kiva asked. Heathcliff nodded his head and sighed.

 _That's about right. I doubt anyone really wants to do anything today._ Heathcliff responded. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and retrieved it. His notification was a text from Akeno.

"Fuck, it's Akeno…" Heathcliff mumbled. He opened the message. He read through it several times. It wasn't very long, so he looked quite foolish going over it so many times. He suddenly rushed back into his room, his phone left to hover for a solid second before a black web shot back and caught it before it fell. With his boots on and a flannel now donned over his jeans and white tank-top he leapt downstairs and shot out the front door, much to his mother's shock. He got a call while he was running down the street.

"Yo?" Heathcliff said, answering the call. His mother sighed on the other end.

 _"Heath, where are you going on a Sunday?"_ Caroline asked. Heathcliff swung around a light post and dashed across the crosswalk towards the shady, rural road along the grassy hills.

"Akeno asked me to come by. I'll be back later, okay?" Heathcliff said. He could nearly feel the ecstatic smile she formed over the phone.

 _"Alright. Don't forget your rubbers."_ Heathcliff nearly tripped.

"Bye…" He sighed, hanging up. Sometimes things are best left unanswered. He soon approached the stone steps he had been looking for and spotted her standing at the bottom. He slowed to a stop, stunned silent and still. She stood, holding a little handbag and wore a cute skirt that matched her white hoodie which covered her pink tube top. An outfit so casual some wouldn't even look twice. But Heathcliff found himself unable to stop looking once.

"H-Hey…" He sputtered finally. Akeno looked up and smiled. She made her way over to him and stood up on her toes to reach his face. An effort mostly in vain, but he leaned down instantly to capture her lips with his. His arm snaked itself about her waist, and another around her back. She interlocked her hands behind his neck and fiercely returned his kiss.

"Hey. I see you got my text… Want to go do something? I already took care of my duties and all… then I could only think about you… You were really upset when you left the other day. Are you feeling better?" Akeno asked, staying locked in their embrace. Heathcliff pulled her closer and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Akeno rubbed his back and let herself dangle from his shoulders.

"Yeah, now that I know you're not upset with me." Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno giggled and squeezed him tight.

"I don't think I could really be upset with you when I know everything you do is out of love and kindness. I don't like those two Fallen Angels… but I can't hate you for being a sweetheart." Akeno said, blowing gently into his ear. Heathcliff shivered and smiled.

"Thanks… Can… Can I hold you a bit longer?" Heathcliff asked timidly with burning cheeks. Akeno giggled and put her legs around his waist.

"Sure, but you might have to carry me if this keeps up." Akeno jested. Heathcliff snuggled her closer and grinned.

"Eh, I don't care. You might lock my arms into place, though. You'd never escape." Heathcliff said. His cheesy smile was hidden beneath a wave of her dark locks. Akeno giggled and squeezed his neck, choking him ever so slightly.

"That just means I get to torture you all day long." Akeno whispered intensely. Heathcliff felt a chill run down his spine at the notion and slowly released his grip on her.

"I think… that's enough…" Heathcliff mumbled sheepishly. Akeno laughed and hopped back onto the ground. She slipped her hand into his and they started walking.

"So… what did you want to do?" Heathcliff asked. Akeno smiled as she tugged him along. A sweet but sadistic smile that gave him goosebumps again.

"I may or may not have gotten your mother's phone number the other day. And since you were so down, I may have asked her what kinds of things you like. And I may be taking you somewhere really cool." Akeno said with false innocence. Heathcliff sighed and pulled her back into an embrace.

"Jeez, you could've asked me. I bet Mum lost her mind talking to you." Heathcliff chuckled, planting a kiss on Akeno's forehead. She smiled and opened up her cellphone. In her log was an hour-long call with his mother's number. Saved under the name, 'Heath's Mommy'. He sighed at the name.

"She did." Akeno responded with a laugh.

"And her name is Caroline by the way." Heathcliff added. Akeno pouted and closed her phone, slipping it back into her handbag.

"I know. But she told me how you used to call her Mommy and my heart melted. So I had to." Akeno explained as Heathcliff released her. His face burned up. Heathcliff sighed and held his palm to his face.

"Please stop." Heathcliff pleaded. Akeno giggled and started pulling him along again.

"No promises!" She chirped. Heathcliff let out a drained sigh again.

 _[Ha, she's pretty good at getting under your skin.]_

 _Shut up._

* * *

Heathcliff felt ten years old again as if he'd never grown up. Which, according to some questionable sources, he never did. The guitar shop was chock full of, well, guitars. Everything from the largest bass he'd ever seen to a tiny little ukulele in the corner that was clearly out of tune. And of course, his time within would not be complete if he didn't play with both of them.

"Aw, this is cool. I didn't know this place was here!" Heathcliff exclaimed as he picked up a stark black electric guitar with golden accents. He then walked over to another shelf and plucked a practice distortion pedal off of it.

"You're like a kid in a candy store. I didn't know you could play guitar." Akeno commented. But her words were drowned out as Heathcliff had been busy setting up the amp and now blasted the chords to _Du Hast_. She gave a crooked and confused smile to the roaring noise.

"Oh, sorry. Uh, yeah, I can. Watch!" Heathcliff exclaimed. He then continued much to her chagrin. Akeno's smile fell slightly. Heathcliff stopped playing and scratched his head.

"Um, what was that?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff came out of thought for a moment to answer her.

"It was the chords to _Du Hast_. What, don't tell me you don't know _Rammstein_?" Heathcliff asked. His senses told him Akeno was completely thrown for a loop and was even slightly upset.

"Um… no. I don't. What kind of music was that…?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff almost went off on a tangent. Or he would have, had depression not kicked him in the knees. He was in total shock and awe.

 _My girlfriend doesn't know what heavy metal is…_ Heathcliff thought, falling to his knees comically. The clerk behind the counter leaned over and patted him on the shoulder. Heathcliff looked up to see the empathetic tears on the man's face. He nodded solemnly to Heathcliff.

"Um… what's happening?" Akeno's unnerved and hesitant question broke the thick air of disbelief. Heathcliff hopped to his feet and stared at her incredulously.

"You're telling me you _don't_ know what Metal is!?" Heathcliff exclaimed. Akeno cringed slightly and shook her head frantically. Heathcliff took a deep breath and held back his outrage.

"I'm sorry, I just have no idea what you just did." Akeno said innocently. Heathcliff clasped his hands together, holding them over his lips. She waited cautiously for his next outburst.

"Akeno, what kind of music do you listen to?" Heathcliff asked calmly. Akeno settled down and put a finger on her chin as she thought. Heathcliff smiled.

 _Her thinking face is cute. Gah, what the? That came out of nowhere…_ He thought. He continued to smile at her nonetheless. She eventually came around and sighed.

"None, really. I tend to read a lot, and I don't really have anything to listen with." Akeno answered. Heathcliff's smile turned to horror as he fell to his hands and knees. Akeno reached for him out of concern, but he held up a hand.

"Let me process this." Heathcliff said. So Akeno backed off and allowed him to wallow on the ground for several moments. He then stood up and pointed to the instrument currently strapped to him.

"One of these days you're going to listen to me play. If I was back in Australia, my band could get together… _but those bastards wouldn't even talk to me._ Heathcliff finished his words in thoughts. He grew solemn again. He failed to realize Akeno would easily pick up on his emotional change. Akeno stepped forward and reached up to cup his cheek. She forced him down into a kiss.

"Don't worry… you're more than enough for me to listen to. Okay?" Akeno said with a sweet and sarcastic smile. Heathcliff felt more insulted than consoled.

"Really? Was that supposed to be funny?" He asked with a furrowed brow. Akeno giggled and pinched the cheek she was holding. Heathcliff reeled back.

"It was to me. Aw come on, don't give me that!" Akeno laughed as Heathcliff moped about. He slowly put away the guitar and the pedal, mumbling about inconsiderate women the whole time. Akeno continued to giggle at his reaction. He eventually returned to her side and continued his tirade of moping and groaning. Akeno tried to pinch his cheek again and he violently pulled away.

"Holy crap, okay, sorry. Heath!" Akeno called as he started out of the store without her. Heathcliff slid to the side as Akeno came rushing out the door and caught her in his arms. She laughed as he spun her around and brought her to his level.

"Damn you… You're the most intoxicating drink in the whole world." Heathcliff said as he kissed her. Akeno giggled into their embrace and ferociously kissed him back. He slid a hand over her thigh, twisting his grip into her stocking. Akeno broke away and licked her lips.

"Heath… I thought you were all mopey and upset?" Akeno wondered. She sucked in a quick breath when Heathcliff ran his hand up her thigh.

"I can't be mad at you. Then I can't do this…" Heathcliff trailed off, pulling her into another passionate kiss. Akeno gladly received him and returned it tenfold. She slowly slid her free hand under his shirt and kept the other squeezing the back of his neck. A rather hard task to do with how powerful his trapeziuses were. Heathcliff had to stop when he felt himself forcing his tongue into her mouth, and felt his other hand halfway up her side. Akeno's blushing, ever-inviting face grew curious as he breathed heavily and leaned back against the wall.

"Okay… sorry… I kinda lost… myself there. I forgot how aggressive I can be… sorry." Heathcliff said, releasing Akeno from his grasp. He noticed how she grew slightly upset.

"That's okay. I wasn't stopping you, you know." Akeno said, her hand still firmly pressed against his chest. Heathcliff placed his hand over hers and smiled.

"That's good… I think… but… People are around. And stuff…" Heathcliff mumbled. Akeno smiled at him and slid her hand around his waist.

"I'm sure you can take us somewhere more private." Akeno said suggestively. Heathcliff blushed and grinned sheepishly. Akeno's touch sent firestorms across his body. He suspected the same went for her. He looked her in the eye and gulped.

"Y-You sure?" Heathcliff asked. Akeno pulled him closer with a nod and a very lecherous grin. Heathcliff gulped nervously. He then glanced around to check for anyone watching them. Not a soul was in sight. He double checked with his senses, which were slightly dulled from the intense sensations. Coast was clearer than her silent message to him. He then grabbed her about the waist and jumped with all the might he could muster.

 _There, that rooftop…_ Heathcliff thought brokenly. His mind focused only on one matter. He jumped and leapt across the Kuoh rooftops, finally settling on a secluded one with a large garden. Trees shadowed and shaded them from prying eyes. Heathcliff enhanced his focus on his sixth sense as he pushed Akeno up against the wall of the stairwell.

"Good choice… Now, where were we?" Akeno wondered with a wicked smile. She pulled him down and locked lips with him. Heathcliff pulled her close and let his hands wander again. Akeno slipped a hand under his undershirt and wrapped a leg about his waist. He could feel her fingers pressing and tracing his muscles as his found their way around. He rested one under her skirt on her thigh. The other managed to find her chest. Akeno moaned as Heathcliff's large hand cupped her right breast. They parted and Akeno smiled.

"Naughty boy indeed…" Akeno whispered. Heathcliff chuckled as he leaned forward and kissed her neck. Akeno bit her lip and squeezed his shoulder as Heathcliff started licking her neck.

"So what if I am? Don't forget you're the one wearing black lace here." Heathcliff mumbled into her neck. Akeno gasped as his lips found her jugular and something jabbed her in the lower stomach.

"Says the one poking me with his… junior." Akeno giggled. Heathcliff pulled away, a predatory look in his eye. He sniffed the air and his face split with a wicked grin.

"Look who's talking." He whispered. Akeno giggled as she continued to grope at his torso.

"Ahem."

Heathcliff nearly flew off the side of the building as he jumped back and landed on the railing along the rooftop. He purposefully crouched, as he would have a rather pointy problem if he stood up. Akeno giggled as she wiped the spit from her mouth and adjusted her clothes. Rias stood just adjacent to them, her arms crossed under her bust and a very irritated glare accompanied her stare. Heathcliff's senses came back in full force and now told him of Rias' flared presence.

"H-H-Hey Rias! How-uh- how long… Where'd you come from!?" Heathcliff asked sheepishly. Rias' glare softened slightly when she glanced at him, and he could sense the fluctuation in her emotions when their eyes met. But she returned to glaring at Akeno before he could discern the change.

"Akeno, what the hell were you doing?" Rias asked as if Heathcliff wasn't even there. He slowly felt his problem die down as Akeno cleared her throat and address Rias.

"I was helping Heathcliff feel better. What's wrong with that?" Akeno asked. Rias stomped her foot and raised a very angry finger at her Queen.

"And that requires you to tempt him into groping you!?" Rias shouted. Akeno laughed and shook her head. Heathcliff remained quiet, choosing to watch the exchange. He still didn't quite understand Rias' feelings.

"As a matter of fact, Heathcliff did that himself. I just didn't stop him." Akeno said with a smile. Rias' eye twitched and she shot a glare at Heathcliff. He nearly felt the need to dodge her condensed anger.

"Fine then. Heathcliff, how did Akeno's breast feel?" Rias asked, suddenly calmer than Akeno. Heathcliff nearly did fall off the railing at her inquiry. He glanced between the two and gulped.

"Um… why is that relevant?" He asked. Rias suddenly walked over and pulled him from the railing. Heathcliff caught himself and stood up as Rias took his hand and blatantly put it against her breast. Heathcliff sucked in a quick breath and tried to hang onto his sanity for dear life. He stood as a broken record. Stuttering slightly and unable to think coherently.

"Oh? Trying to one-up me in the breast department is kind of foolish. Yours are _smaller_ than mine." Akeno said. She walked up beside Heathcliff and grabbed his right hand. Before anything drastic happened again, Heathcliff froze all of his muscles in place. Neither Rias nor Akeno could force him to move.

"Heath?" The said in unison. Heathcliff was released from their grips and relaxed his tension. He fixed his shirt and let his blood cool down to where he could see straight. Their quarrel subsided, replaced with concern and curiosity over Heathcliff.

"What the hell is wrong with you two? You were arguing over me back when I joined and now you're trying to force me into… more than awkward situations? Seriously, what the hell?" Heathcliff wondered. He knew Akeno hadn't truly done anything out of the ordinary but when she argued with Rias over him was when it truly bothered him. Rias shrunk back, an odd mix of emotions and it was impossible to get a grip on just one. Akeno looked downcast and wrung her fingers. A dim silence overcame the rooftop. The wind kicked at the tree leaves.

"Sorry, Heath… I just… Don't like it when Akeno keeps you away from me. She knows it bothers me, too. Yet-" Rias cut off when Heathcliff held up a hand. He scratched his head and tried to wrap his mind around her unusual reasoning.

"What does that even mean? We see each other in the club, in class, and you even came to my house for fuck's sake. And now you're here, while I was… Ah shit, how would I put it…?" Heathcliff trailed off. He shook away the last of his thoughts and focused on the immediate and glaring problem.

"Wait, wait, wait, what are you doing here anyway?" Heathcliff asked. Rias looked up at him. He knew he changed the subject, but he wanted to know why he was interrupted. Rias cleared her throat and her regular, commanding demeanor returned.

"Uh, well, I have news. Asia was having trouble returning to the living, as I suspected… So I offered to reincarnate her as my Bishop. She agreed after learning you were under my command as well. So, she'll be staying with you just as Kala and Raynare are. I will also be joining you starting today. You weren't home, and when I asked Caroline she said Akeno had whisked you away. Since you're so good at hiding I followed her magic signature." Rias explained calmly. Though the contents of her explanation hit Heathcliff harder than most people could. He stood, silent as night for several moments. Then the information finished processing in his mind.

"I'm sorry, WHAT!?" Heathcliff shouted. Akeno was slightly irate and upset at the news, but nowhere near as inflamed as Heathcliff was. Rias reeled back in surprise at his outburst.

"Ah, um, I should've suspected you'd react like that…" Rias mumbled. Heathcliff jumped up to the highest point on the roof, a large antenna, and peered out across the town. From here he spotted a large truck on his street. With his sixth sense, he picked out everyone in his house. Asia, Kala, Raynare, and the moving men. He turned and shot a glare at Rias.

"What the hell are you pulling? My house isn't big enough, plus Raynare is terrified of me. What the hell did Mum say?" Heathcliff exclaimed, jumping back down next to Rias. She smiled and waved him off. As though she could just brush his concerns away.

"I'm not pulling anything. I can't leave three girls unattended in your home, especially two Fallen Angels. Any other problems?" Rias asked. Heathcliff, woefully unsatisfied with such a superficial answer, shook his head and rubbed his temples. Akeno walked up and put a comforting hand on his back. She shot Rias a glare that was returned.

"Heath, are you going to be alright there? If you need a break…" Akeno leaned close to his ear. His sensitive hearing was something she must've been aware of, as barely a whisper exited her lips. "…there's always room at the shrine."

"Alright… Well, I'm really not in the mood for anything now. So I'll be dropping Akeno off and locked down in my room for the night." Heathcliff announced. He winked at Akeno as he picked her up and glanced to Rias over his shoulder. She attempted to stop him but Heathcliff already leapt off the rooftop with Akeno laughing as they descended.

"Dammit… Heath, can't you see that I love you?"

* * *

Heathcliff opted to use the rear entrance to his house, as the front was currently occupied. He jumped to his balcony and vaulted onto it. When he opened his door he found exactly what he was trying to avoid sitting on his bed. Kala smiled and jumped up to greet him as he entered.

"Heath! Where've you been?" Kala asked, trying to cling to him. Heathcliff carefully pried her off and sighed.

"Does it really matter? It's like I don't even live here. It was only like a month ago that it was just me and Mum." Heathcliff complained. His ire died out when he noticed Raynare nervously sweating as she sat on his bed, wearing a Kuoh girls' uniform. Same as Kala. She did her best not to look Heathcliff in the eye but snuck glances at him. He walked past Kala and dropped down onto one knee in front of Raynare. She flinched.

"Raynare… I'm sorry that I hurt you so much. I was angry. That wasn't me. Can you ever forgive me?" Heathcliff asked, bowing his head. He felt a tug on his shirt collar and looked up to see Raynare nervously smiling.

"It's okay. I deserved it… I should be thanking you for letting me live. I-I want to be of use to you…" Raynare trailed off as Heathcliff took her hand in his. He smiled and shook his head.

"Don't worry. All I ask is forgiveness. You did right by reversing your actions. But I don't want you to be living in fear of me." Heathcliff said quietly. Raynare nervously looked away.

"I-I forgive you… you were in the right, anyway. B-But… are you sure everything is okay?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff nodded and sat on the spot next to Raynare. Kala joined them and clung to his side.

"Yes, everything is fine… I'm not too happy that Rias is just blatantly moving everyone into _my_ house... but I don't really mind that much. In fact, that just means there's more for me to protect." Heathcliff said with a grin. Raynare started smiling and latched onto his side. With their combined efforts they pulled him back onto his bed and pinned him underneath their weight. Not that he was truly pinned, as they felt rather light to him.

"Yay! I'm so relieved! Does that mean you'd protect us if Kokabiel came after us?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff, who was blushing furiously, also nodded and grinned.

"Yeah, I think I could take the fuckin wombat. Why were you two working for such a foul fucker anyway?" Heathcliff asked, remembering how the man wanted war. Kala and Raynare shared a look. They pulled him closer and put their lips to his ears. Heathcliff felt his cheeks could melt steel at this point.

"He promised us rebirth into Heaven." Raynare whispered, hugging Heathcliff tightly. He merely let them do as they pleased.

"And threatened us with death should we refuse. When he ordered the death of anything or anyone who might interfere, be it people with power, or Devils, we found you." Kala explained. Her grip tightened as well. Heathcliff could feel their unrest and regret.

"He thought a foreigner would cause him trouble… So he sent me to…" Raynare trailed off. She trembled and sniffled as tears welled in her eyes. Whether from fear or remorse Heathcliff didn't care. He slid his arms out and hugged both of the unsteady girls on top of him. It was the least he could do.

"Don't worry about all that. I'm still here. I'd hope you prefer me alive rather than dead." Heathcliff chuckled. He was suddenly smothered by both women as they furiously hugged him. Heathcliff had to force his head out from between their bust to breath.

"Of course we do! We also came to an agreement while you were gone." Kala said, sitting up on his leg. Heathcliff became very aware of the fact that she was not wearing underwear. Neither was Raynare when she sat up. They both started unbuttoning their shirts. There was nothing beneath but skin.

 _Oh what's happening? Oh fuck._ Heathcliff thought in panic. Raynare smiled as she took his hand and slid it into her undone shirt. Kala did the same. He nearly lost consciousness from the blood rushing away from his body.

"We'd like to serve you now. So please do as you like with us… Heath." Raynare said as she pressed his open palm against her breast. Heathcliff didn't dare pull away as violently as he wanted to. He'd rather not scare them. Slowly Heathcliff pulled his hands back and sat up gently.

"What are you talking about?" Heathcliff asked, doing his best to remain calm. The two exchanged a look and slowly grew downcast.

"Well, I thought you kept me around because you liked me… So I figured the same must go for Ray… so, we're yours to do with as you please…" Kala explained quietly. Heathcliff raised an eyebrow and pushed down on his crotch. He winced slightly, but the pain would have to wait.

"What's that supposed to mean? I kept you around because I couldn't bring myself to hurt you anymore. Same for Raynare… And I guess I hoped we could learn to be friends." Heathcliff explained with a sheepish grin. He was more than surprised when Raynare and Kala were more depressed by his words than comforted.

"So, you don't want our bodies? Our sexuality?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff blushed and froze up slightly. He searched for a way to answer that question. The two Fallen Angels appeared desperate and stared at him longingly. He hid his embarrassment and tried to keep his thoughts lucid.

 _How am I supposed to answer that!? They're more than beautiful… downright gorgeous. But I'm with Akeno… I can't just… do whatever. Ah fuck me… Scratch that, shoot me. Wait, I'll just come back… damn._ Heathcliff dug at the corners of his mind to answer them. They ran their fingers over his collar bone and arms and his chest, making the task of response that much harder.

"Uh… well… It's just that you don't have to give me that… you don't need to give me anything at all. There's no doubt that I find you two attractive but… you don't have to… I mean, I have a girlfriend… Ah!" Heathcliff jerked his neck as Raynare leaned in and nibbled at his throat. Kala slid a hand into his shirt and started to undo his flannel.

"But I want you…" Raynare said, blowing into his ear. Heathcliff blushed deeply and let out a noise of unrest. Kala smiled and started to pull his clothes off his torso.

"And so do I. Please accept us…" Kala said. She leaned in and started licking his other ear. Heathcliff was slowly losing his mind. It was as if they didn't even hear him. Stuck between disbelief and desire he tried to adhere to his morals. Morals which were slowly being sucked out of his skin through his jugular.

"H-H-Hold on! Stop! I-I-I can't!" Heathcliff finally shouted. He pushed each of them off by the shoulder and held them at arm's length while he regained his breath. They both allowed him his space but became solemn rather quickly. Heathcliff was in awe that they had both thrown themselves at him. Rarely did he find women attracted to him, let alone willing to literally throw themselves on him.

 _I thought I was consoling them? How did it end up like this?_ Heathcliff wondered. He glanced at the two beauties and saw them still staring at him. He sensed their sadness and felt a stab of guilt in his heart. They noticed his look and stared downcast.

"See… I can't just… do that. As much as I'm sure I'd enjoy it… I can't. I'm faithful. I'm sorry. I can't fathom why you chose me of all people to… anyway. Please understand I'm not rejecting you. Or, at least I'm not trying to. And please don't cry, you'd surely break my spirit if you did." Heathcliff said. He immediately felt his resolve start to crumble when both of them started sniffling.

"Oh no… no… no… Please don't cry… I'm sorry… please, no." Heathcliff pleaded. He brought them into his arms and they accepted his hug. Raynare looked up at him with shimmering eyes. Heathcliff felt his heart snap in two. He had to look away.

"I'm sorry… please don't cry. I'll do anything." Heathcliff said, hanging his head. He felt their moods change and they pushed him back onto his bed. Kala smiled and hugged him closer to her. Raynare laid on top of him and cuddled close to his chest.

"Fine, I suppose I'll settle for cuddling with you for now." Raynare sighed happily. Heathcliff was relieved as they seemed satisfied now. He relaxed and let Kala hold him close to her chest.

"I guess I can, too. But don't hesitate if you need anything, Heath." Kala said. Her smile widened when Heathcliff let out a relaxed sigh.

"I don't think I need anything right now… Thanks guys. Just don't let anyone catch us, okay?" Heathcliff asked. The two Fallen Angels giggled. Heathcliff felt his stomach sink as his door swung open to reveal Asia and Rias.

"I guess the competition just got stronger. I'm not letting you two or Akeno have Heathcliff. Now…" Rias started as she entered the room. Heathcliff could sense a heavy layer of anger and jealousy not only in Rias but also in her voice. Asia pouted as she joined Rias.

"I want to cuddle with Heathcliff, too!" Asia exclaimed suddenly, jumping between Kala and Raynare. Heathcliff flexed to ensure he didn't lose his oxygen and was starting to feel the weight on him. Rias growled and Heathcliff had to peek over Asia's head to see her fuming.

"Not you too, Asia! Dammit! Only I get to cuddle with HEATH!" Rias shouted. She suddenly jumped on the bed as well, her chest aimed directly for Heathcliff's face.

 _Oh fuck._ His breathing became hard as softness engulfed his head. Some form of argument was ensuing outside of his dark hell, but he was having a hard time comprehending it. Not only was Rias' chest suffocating, it was also soundproofed. It seems he could die in peace. But all hope was lost when Kiva suddenly kicked in.

 _[Seems you're in a bit of a pickle. I might be pinned, but I can extend myself outwards to a point where your skin is exposed enough for oxygen absorption. I'll transfer it to your bloodstream from there.]_ Kiva explained. Heathcliff felt the creature start to move a tendril across his skin. More extended from his mass and spread out across his body. Suddenly his body stopped aching for him to breathe. His lungs still felt empty, but his consciousness remained.

 _Huh, didn't know you could do that. I suppose that's how you breathed before me._ Heathcliff thought. Kiva gave a hum in response, a sign he was concentrating. But it was also an answer to his assumption. Kiva used to absorb oxygen, just as he was now doing to keep Heathcliff alive.

 _I guess now's a good time to get some sleep. It'll be easier for you to work that way._ Heathcliff thought as he let himself relax. Within the darkness of being covered by women, he found himself a snug position to sleep in. Their sweet scents mixed with each other, creating a concoction of scent that sent him to the sandman easily.

* * *

Heathcliff awoke to the scent of food. He glanced about to see his bed empty, much to his relief. He got up and shook the tiredness from his mind. He left his room and jumped down the stairs as he normally did. When he landed and walked around the corner into the kitchen his blood started rushing again. Quite literally all of the girls were in _nothing_ but aprons at the stove and counter preparing food. The worst part of the situation was that his mother simply sat at the table with a coffee in one hand and a magazine in the other.

"Oh, Heathcliff! These girls are just darlings. Can you believe that they're all volunteering to do the housework for me!? I was confident in how handsome and sweet you were, but this is just amazing. What's that look for?" Caroline's fawning was replaced with confusion as Heathcliff stared in horror at the scene. He gripped his head and gestured to the girls as they turned their attention to him.

"What the fuck is this!? Where are their clothes!?" Heathcliff yelled. Caroline smacked him with the magazine.

"Heathcliff Robert King!" Caroline shouted, giving Heathcliff a strong glare. He settled down and sighed.

"Right, right… sorry. But still!" Heathcliff exclaimed. Raynare skipped over to him and caught his arm in hers, pressing it between her breasts. Heathcliff felt his face fire up and Caroline started laughing.

"C'mon Heath, you know you like it. Rias said this would certainly cheer you up. Guess she was right." Raynare said as she rubbed against his arm. Heathcliff did his best to keep his composure and shot Rias a halfhearted scowl. Kala soon grabbed his other arm and pulled him away from Raynare a bit.

"Your mom doesn't care, so what's your problem? You like it, don't you?" Kala asked, pressing her breasts together. Heathcliff tried to keep his eyes on track, but they seemed to spot a curve of a butt or cleavage wherever he tried to look. He nearly made himself dizzy just thinking about where to look. He eventually pried himself away and sat down at the table. His face in his palms as Raynare and Kala returned to the stove.

"Of all the things to allow in your house, you let them cook mostly nude?" Heathcliff wondered, still buried in his hands. Caroline swatted his head with the magazine again.

"They're wonderful ladies and I hope you appreciate them even more than I do." Caroline stated. Heathcliff sighed and nodded slightly. His mother went back to sipping coffee and reading. When he was done moping, Heathcliff relaxed in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

"Say, I'm a little confused. Where's your dad, Heath?" Raynare's voice asked suddenly. Heathcliff felt his chest tighten as he slowly leaned forward in his seat. His eyes sank as melancholy gripped his mind. Caroline sniffled and set her coffee down. Heathcliff stared at Raynare, making her flinch. The deathly cold look in his eye even made Asia take a step behind Rias.

"My father, James King, died last year in an auto accident." Heathcliff said numbly. Raynare's smile fell, as did Asia's. Rias and Kala shared a look as Heathcliff bowed his head and took in a shaky breath. It took all his willpower not to tear up. He held his mother's hand as she tried to remain strong.

"Oh… I'm sorry…" Raynare mumbled. Heathcliff waved his hand and stood up.

"Don't worry about it… I'm… not really hungry… I'm going back upstairs." Heathcliff said. Something twisted harshly inside of him. It made him want to vomit. Heathcliff dejectedly walked back upstairs, rather than leap as he normally would. The girls watched him go with concern. Caroline steadied her breath.

"Heathcliff is… very sensitive about his father. He'll be okay, though. He's a strong boy."

"What about you, Mrs. King?"

"I'm fine… I have my mementos of James… Heathcliff though… he doesn't have any. Only his memories and his teachings."

* * *

 _'That's the spirit, lad! Grow stronger, girls love muscles! Just ask your mother! HAHA!'_

Heathcliff tried to ignore the warm memories flashing in his mind. They only made his chest ache more than it already did. An hour passed, and his mind showed no sign of settling down.

 _'Aches give us a reason to fight. If it comes back, that means it's needed. Required to keep moving. Don't let a little pain hold you back.'_

As if the words matched his feelings, they helped him fend off the tears behind his eyes. They burned and branded his mind with pain, but it couldn't be helped. Not even Kiva shutting his receptors off would work. As if fate had truly wanted to test him this day, so it gave him a strong pain. Quite possibly it was the thought of the girls with him. So close, yet so far. He even regretted going as far as he did with Akeno. Paranoia set in, furious and wicked lies of his own mind.

 _What if they find out?_

 _'Fuck you, Heath! You're a goddamn animal! I'll kill you!'_

 _'He's a monster! Just look at him! A huge monster of a human!'_

Voices he did not like. Voices he did not remember plagued him. They were familiar, but they did not match the happy-go-lucky cultivated Australian accent of his father. Their anger bashed against his mind. Looking for an escape from their prison. He wished to release them, but he could find no key.

 _I hope they'll understand. Given how much I was understood in Australia, I can't help but doubt._

Heathcliff didn't know if he fell asleep or not. He suspected he had been awake for another solid two hours, as he did not feel the groggy sensation of awakening. He glanced at his alarm and noticed it was late. Far later than when he had returned to his room. But sleep still eluded him and he was plagued by malicious memories and painful reassurances from his father's voice. He crept out of his bed and stepped onto the carpet, feeling the warm material dig into his flesh. He replaced his jeans with fleece pants and took his flannel off. He checked the presences in his house.

 _Almost everyone is asleep. Almost._ Heathcliff quietly left his moonlit room and shuffled into the dark hallway. A dim light down the hall called his attention. He made his way there and found the door ajar. Inside he found Rias studying diligently. A task he never often found himself undertaking. He pushed the door open gently and it released a creak of relief. Rias turned and was surprised to see him standing there.

"Heath… what's wrong? Are you okay?" Rias asked. Concern for him was her new assignment. Heathcliff shrugged, unable to come to terms with his own needs. He wanted to tell her what he genuinely desired. But words were hard to come by in a vocabulary famine.

"Not really… I can't sleep. And… I keep having bad memories creep up on me." Heathcliff admitted. Rias examined him and patted him on the chest.

"Is… is it about your father?" Rias asked gently. Heathcliff nodded. He felt all his strength was nothing to compete with the thrashing he was receiving from his own brain. Rias hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and rested his head on hers.

"Here, I'll stay with you. Let's go back to your room." Rias said as she released him. She shut the light off in her room and ushered Heathcliff out into the hall. He felt a small measure of relief and happiness return to his throbbing body. He would never openly admit or ask for someone to stay with him as Rias had just volunteered to. He thought he could deal on his own. But specters hurled their icy spears of hatred at him this night. Rias led him back to his own room and locked the door behind them as they entered. She made him climb back into bed before joining him. And as if she could read minds, Rias pulled his head close to her and tucked him under her chin. He slowly accepted her embrace and felt bliss return to him.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier? It's almost midnight." Rias whispered, stroking his hair. Heathcliff grunted and blushed in the darkness.

"I wouldn't have even said anything if you hadn't noticed me. I probably would've tried to go back to sleep on my own. It's too embarrassing." Heathcliff mumbled into her embrace. Rias kissed his forehead and snuggled him closer.

"Don't be silly. I'm always here for you, Heath. Do not ever hesitate to ask for anything. You can be as selfish as you want. Understand?" Rias asked. Heathcliff heard her words but between the newfound comfort and reassurance he felt, sleep quickly overtook him once more. He couldn't respond with much aside from moving closer to her and falling into a deep sleep.

"Good. I'll always hold you. Only you are allowed this. Only you can be so intimate with me."

* * *

 _The Next Morrow…_

Heathcliff awoke with a start. He noticed his alarm had yet to go off. Never had he awoken before his alarm went off. He checked the clock. It was minutes before the timer struck. He turned the alarm off for the morning and sat up with a yawn. Out of a newfound habit, he checked his bed for naked women. Within all of the years he had lived Heathcliff never imagined he would have to investigate his bed for hidden nude girls. One too many mishaps led to this new routine. Now he had three others to worry about finding in his sheets.

"Huh…" Heathcliff muttered, finding his bed clear of girls. He got up and began his regular routine for school. But before he made his way across the hall for a shower he checked his senses. Either everyone was still in their room, or like Rias, they were already downstairs. In that brief moment, though, he wondered when his house acquired so many rooms. Heathcliff slipped into the bathroom and started his shower, allowing himself a brief moment of relaxation sitting under the hot water. His tense and knotted muscles relaxed slightly. He briefly took his attention away from everything aside from the hot water running down his back.

 _[Pft…]_ That was until his back was taken over by a soft, heavy feeling. Heathcliff returned from his trance to find a rather familiar presence on his back. More than familiar. They were getting very _cozy_ with his back.

"You let your guard down… mind if I wash your back?" Raynare whispered in his ear. Heathcliff glanced at her over his shoulder and sighed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Heathcliff groaned. While he enjoyed the pleasant feeling of Raynare's breasts on his back, her hand snaking down his torso to his thighs made him quite nervous.

"Oh come on! Will you really not do anything with me?" Raynare whined as Heathcliff shrugged her off. He shook his head and applied shampoo.

"I'll give you a warm hug when we're both fully clothed and dry. That's about all I'm comfortable with, being a taken man and all." Heathcliff stated. Raynare pouted behind him and gently smacked his shoulder.

"Meanie… Hmm? What's this? A growth?" Raynare wondered, poking Kiva's mass gently. Heathcliff felt the creature shiver from the sensation. Heathcliff carefully brushed her hand away.

"That's Kiva, the Synergetic alien that gave me the form you saw the other day…" Heathcliff explained. Raynare leaned down behind him and got uncomfortably close to his lower back. Heathcliff tightened his towel.

"An alien? So your powers aren't even magical?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff shook his head and washed his hair out.

"Nope, not all of them. Most of what I can do are biological enhancements Kiva recreated with my body. The fire I breathe and the obsidian swords I use are just two examples." Heathcliff continued. Raynare was suddenly on his shoulder again and leaned into his vision.

"That's cool! I mean, that fire really hurt… but still. What else does he do for you?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff laughed and handed her a sponge.

"Since you offered, I'll talk. You scrub." He said with a grin. Raynare smiled and squeezed the soap out onto her chest. Heathcliff did his best not to stare at her chest the whole time. She squished herself against his back, happily rubbing away.

"Anyway… Kiva is an Assassin Type Synergetic. Meaning whatever he bonds with becomes very strong and impossible to attack. My sixth sense, the one that lets me dodge bullets, is like a huge three-sixty map in my head. I can even sense changes in your heartbeat and emotional state with the refinement that it underwent when I was turned into a Devil." Heathcliff explained. Raynare curiously poked his cheek.

"So what's all that weird goo you shoot from your wrists?" Raynare asked. Heathcliff procured some of it and stuck her finger to his face with it. She pouted and pulled against it to no avail.

"Caulobacter webbing. A type of bacteria lives inside Kiva, and now me, which creates the webbing to hold itself together. I use them in my little wall climbing trick as well. Can hold up to a couple tons if I remember right. And I can command them to break apart at will, like so." Heathcliff elucidated. He then snapped his fingers and the webbing disintegrated. Raynare looked impressed. She continued her task and remained rather quiet. Heathcliff glanced at her.

"You know, you could tie me up with that and fuck me all day if you wanted. I wouldn't stop you." Raynare said bluntly. Heathcliff choked on his own breath. Various, lascivious images flashed in his mind.

"What!? No! Do you really think I use it just 'cause I'm into BDSM?" Heathcliff asked belligerently. Raynare giggled and slipped her hand over the front of his towel. He went red and froze up momentarily.

"You're getting a little stiff. I'd say yes…" Raynare snickered. Heathcliff tried to move her arm but she grabbed the didgeridoodle by the throat and he was forced to still himself. He watched with fearful eyes as Raynare slithered up to his side and bit his ear.

"Just admit it. You'd love nothing more than to tie my wrists together, bend me over… and fuck me senseless." Raynare whispered. Heathcliff felt his blood start to rush. Between her on his back and the images her words kept pushing into his mind he was starting to lose rational thought. She squeezed her grip and Heathcliff had to pry her off of him.

"No, nope, stop! We're done here!"

"Aw come on! You're already hard!"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

 _Later…_

The sound of Heathcliff's head striking his desk during the final study hall of the day attracted the attention of some of his classmates. Namely the girls who all lived in his house and had been vying for his attention all day. And of course, Akeno, who sat just next to him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and rubbed some of the stress from his shoulder. He was completely surrounded on all sides by them. Raynare now sat to his left, constantly pushing their desks together during breaks. Luckily his back was open and he could slip away with ease. But as he tried to do the same now, a hand caught his collar and he was left dangling in his tipped back seat.

"Heath, come on. We're going to the clubroom." Rias said, holding firmly to his collar. Heathcliff tiredly nodded and she dropped him on the floor purposefully. He laid there for several seconds as the rest of the girls got up and walked past him. All of them stepped directly over his face.

"Ah!" Heathcliff sat bolt upright and got off the floor before Akeno could step over him. She giggled and offered a hand to him as he clambered off his seat. Heathcliff accepted her hand and picked his bag up. They then walked hand-in-hand, following the others out. The scene garnered more attention than he liked it to but ignored the disturbed or baffled stares of his classmates.

"So that was… traumatizing." Heathcliff murmured. Akeno giggled and pressed into his side as they walked.

"I guess you're really not much of a pervert, then. And I was so willing to let you see mine…" Akeno teased, tugging at the collar of her shirt. Heathcliff grinned and moved his arm to her waist, relocking his hand with hers over her stomach.

"I still find it a bit rude, but it's them who've got me all fucking confused. That was more than purposeful. I think Rias knew I was going to fall back and zip on outta there and planned that, then those two just joined in." Heathcliff said with a sigh. Akeno put her head on his shoulder and her grip tightened. He sensed her displeasure and squeezed her reassuringly.

"I'm really pissed they keep trying to take you from me. I'd be willing to share if you weren't so noble about it. I'm surprised you actually kept those damn angels off." Akeno said. Heathcliff stopped dead in his tracks. He glanced at her incredulously and tried to comprehend what had just been uttered. Akeno turned around and gave him a doe-eyed stare of confusion.

"Sorry, could you reiterate?" Heathcliff asked politely. Akeno tilted her head.

"Which part?" She responded. Heathcliff rubbed his stubble-covered chin and tried to recover from his shock.

"Sharing?" He wondered. Akeno grinned and nodded.

"Oh yeah. You didn't notice how much they all want you? The only reason I keep you all to myself is because you let me. I'm sure if you let them, the two angels would certainly _relieve_ you." Akeno said with a sly smile. Heathcliff's backpack sagged off his shoulder.

 _That can't be how she really feels. I thought she hated those two? Wouldn't she want to keep me away from them? What's happening here? Help._ Heathcliff's thought process redirected to a busy line. Soon Kiva came over the telegram and started laughing.

 _[That's one hell of a lost boomerang. Dude, you should totally do that thing Arabic guys do. What's it called?]_ Kiva wondered. Heathcliff pinched the bridge of his nose. The creature liked Heathcliff's archaic mind more than his refined one.

 _A… harem? Is that even legal? Well, marrying more than one is illegal, but… I'm sorry, let's get back on track here._ Heathcliff shook his head and clasped Akeno on the shoulders. She gasped as he hugged her close. The hall was deathly quiet.

"Are you sure that's how you feel? How could you let me go so easily?" Heathcliff asked quietly. His voice barely snapped the silence. Akeno's smile faded and she hugged him.

"I'm sorry, am I pushing you away? I didn't mean that… Devils have a very open style of life. Many powerful ones have many lovers. So, I won't mind if you accept them as well… as much as it bothers me." Akeno explained. Heathcliff's grip tightened.

"If it bothers you, then why would I do it?" He asked. Akeno giggled.

"Because you're a sweetheart. You're too sweet, actually. So I don't care. But if you've really pledged yourself that much, it's up to you." Akeno said sweetly. She kissed him and smiled. Heathcliff mind was in distress. His body ached and violently fought him to give into desire and accept Akeno's openness. But his mind kept fighting valiantly. So much so that he was stuck in a limbo of turmoil only someone identical to him could experience.

"You can't be serious…" Heathcliff muttered. Akeno sighed, fed up with his indecisiveness and buffoonery. She released him and squeezed his cheeks with her hand.

"Just think about it, dummy." Akeno said with a grin. She then turned and walked ahead without him. Heathcliff, left with insecurity and doubt, could only sink to his knees momentarily.

"How the fuck am I supposed to think about that?" He wondered. For several inconclusive moments he stood in silent ice. His thoughts drawing out like a blank line upon a sheet.

"HEATHCLIFF, ARE YOU COMING!?" Rias' voice called. Heathcliff broke his stupor and started off down the hall again. He focused on the coming tasks, choosing to ignore the blast of irregular logic hoisted upon him.

 _Nothing makes sense anymore._

* * *

 **And here you are once again. There's probably more coming soon after because I like this character so much.**

 **Thanks guys,**

 **See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.**


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